Bermondsey Arts Club, Bermondsey

Type of Bar: Tiny, Basement, Speakeasy
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Live Music

Now this is interesting.

The Bermondsey Arts Club has kept itself to itself since they opened about half a year ago. They’ve also developed a loyal following, especially from the area, looking for a cocktail bar closer to home (major plus for the Hoodooist in Greenwich).

Taking up residence in the public conveniences underground, on weekdays, you wouldn’t know the BAC was here. Keeping the walls, the rest of the venue has been done up in black and gold art deco revival – and on Wednesdays, bringing out their chilled jazz band. I do wish that they kept the jazz throughout the week, though – the weekend pop playlist is a bit jarring with the sexy underground surrounding.

L to R: Phra Phum, and Three Wise

Making one’s way there for the launch of their Winter Cocktail list, I have to say, it is a major improvement on the previous menu. And this new menu (launching Dec 5^th ’14) is absolutely delightful, I fell in love with it as we tasted.

Let’s begin with the Phra Phum: House Thai Gin (ginger, chilli, garlic, spring onion), lemon, sugar, egg white, House Soy Bitters. Love. Bright, spry, lively – the first hits of spring onion and chilli, then ginger and finally the simmering of garlic and hint of soy – all make an appearance in this citrusy-spicy East Asian inspired cocktail. An excellent way to start a night, and easily one of my favourites on the list.

Another one that stood out would be a light take on a dessert drink: the Grappa’s Delight brings Chamomile Grappa, Cocchi Americano, lemon, honey, green tea gelato together with a few dried chamomile blooms dusted above. Less thick than most dessert drinks, yet still with that smooth gelato texture, this cocktail is sneaky. Not a dry drink at all, the Cocchi Americano is barely noticeable, as the gelato, honey and chamomile have their way with you. The Grappa does make a sound appearance, and I’d pick this over a dessert any day of the week.

L to R: Accidentally half drunk Grappa’s Delight, and A Little R & R

The next two drinks go in for darker, heavier flavours. The Hit and Mist was most enjoyable – Cider poached Apple Laphroaig, Treacle Syrup, Whisky Barrel Bitters is smoked with Apple Hickory smoke. A short, strong drink and a great winter warmer, surprisingly not as sweet as you’d expect. The characteristic nature of Laphroaig, with its already smoky, and rather medicinal flavour is necessary to balance the sweeter treacle – creating a very well balanced drink that really is made by the Hickory smoke. Without it, it would lose a lot of character (like the Lost in the Woods, by PortSide Parlour, review HERE). But this exactly the kind of drink the Hoodooist would enjoy. Seductive, balanced, warm and enveloping.

The Coupe des Garcon is an odd one – named after the fashion house Comme des Garcon – puts Port, Ramazzotti, Fine Calvados and Peychaud’s Bitters in a glass wrapped in a napkin sprayed with Comme de Garcon’s Wonderwood parfum. Now here is the odd part: the Calvados is not a strong flavour, yet plays an important part in the drink with the Port and Ramazzotti and the intriguing bit is how similar to bourbon the result is – the fruity bourbon sweetness, the woodiness of the barrels, all evoked wonderfully. I suspect, though, the woodiness is in fact olfactory. The Wonderwood parfum (Hm, pepper, sandalwood, oudh? I think.) is an excellent pairing with the cocktail, making it a multisensory experience – but don’t spray it on yourself, getting it off your clothes is impossible (or off you. Or your pillowcases. Everything into the wash). Another excellent winter drink, throwing you headfirst into nature with hints of oranges, apples and spices.

The Hit and Mist

Finally, I probably should end mentioning two drinks that, though still good, are not up to par with the above. A Little R & R is a surprisingly uncharacteristic drink (Butter-washed raisin rum, cinnamon liqueur, lemon and cardamom bitters), and in fact, comes off a bit too citrusy. I feel avoiding the lemon a bit, and relying more on a sort of butter-washed raisin rum Old Fashioned would be a better idea. Nonetheless, we have the buttery, rich mouthfeel of the rum, with a final hint of cardamom at the end. Less lemon. Always less lemon.

Lastly, the Three Wise is in fact what I started with. I was intrigued by the strangeness of the ingredients: Taylor’s 10yr Port, Brokers Gin, Gold/Frankincense/Myrrh Bitters. Yup. Served in a Japanese wooden cube (also used by the Artesian for a Japanese styled drink in a previous menu) – it can be uncomfortable to drink from, especially with that little singed stick of incense prodding your face. On one hand, a good aperitif with intense dryness – on the other hand, a bit confusing. I might enjoy it more with less gin, since it drowns out the barely noticeable figs in the port, which would be fantastically both thematically and in regard to taste. The frankincense and myrrh is certainly a nice addition – as for the gold, well. Perhaps gold leaf would be a better garnish than the incense. This drink appeals more to my intellect than my tastebuds.

The Aged Old Negronis

Service at the bar is wonderful (Aged Negronis bottled to take home! Taste delicious and rounded, well-balanced). Milo (who runs a cocktail Youtube channel, Caffe Corretto), Jake and Adam are excellent company. On weekends though, the tables can get very crowded and getting attention/waiting for drinks can get a bit tiring – but one expects that on crowded nights. You will see the Hoodooist and friends at the bar, getting tanked on Hit and Mists on Wednesdays, I think.

In summary: the new menu at the Bermondsey Arts Club is formidable, original, and wonderful. Favouring the Hoodooist’s preferred style of short, but intense, these drinks are quickly taking this bar to one of my more favoured hang outs. With excellent design and atmosphere, and fun service – you’ll see me here often (at least, as often as I can. I have two bars a week to review for you people, you know.)

A major thanks to Jamie Pinkham and team for an excellent night out!

Drinks: *****
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ****

Bermondsey Arts Club

102A Tower Bridge Road,
London SE1 4TP

http://bermondseyartsclub.co.uk/

Bar Termini, Soho

Dec1

Type of Bar: Tiny, Cafe, Italian
Damage: £
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Coffee, Aperitifs

News about Bar Termini is spreading like wild fire. Probably because Marco Arrigo, and Tony Conigliaro (of ZTH (Click HERE) and 69 Colebrooke (Click HERE) fame) decided to open it without announcement or event – it retained a mystery that everyone wants in on.

And what it is, is probably my next favourite study spot in Soho. A teeny tiny room with bar next door to the much more demanding-of-attention, La Bodega Negra, Bar Termini provides a pale blue, vintage Italian haven for coffee and cocktail fans. Inspired by Arrigo’s introduction of Illy coffee to London, and the many coffee shops that serve it in Soho, Termini serves up Italian classics in a chilled out space.

Firstly with coffee, true it a tiny bit pricier than your usual – espressos at 3 pounds, bicherins at 4 – they still impress. I honestly wasn’t expecting to enjoy Illy coffee as much as I enjoyed it here at Termini. With sides of pastries and mini-paninis, what’s not to love?

The Negroni Rosato

‘Mini’ might be a useful term here – the Negronis are positively miniscule, yet are incredible.

Three Negronis are presented: the Classico, Rosato, and Superiore. Each bottled (in their distinctive custom Art Deco bottles!) in advance, aged for up to three months – provide intense flavours, and surprisingly calm on the Campari (a result of aging).

The Classico provides a smooth Negroni experience, the Rosato and Superiore are infused with further ingredients:

The Superiore, my preferred of the three, is infused with pink peppercorns, to add a slight spiciness to it. It’s a bit subtle, and I certainly would prefer a more intense infusion, but spectacular as a Negroni – not too dry or sweet, subtle on the Campari, good roundedness from the vermouth. Excellent.

The Rosato can split the table depending on your appreciation of sweet drinks. Infused with rosebuds and rose water, this deep red Negroni brings forward a strong – but not sickly – rose to the cocktail. An interesting choice, rose and Negronis, but one that works. A bit sweet for me, but a wonderful drink overall – in this case, the small serving seems rational with the intense flavour.

The Marsala Martini

The Marsala Martini: Beefeater gin, dry vermouth, marsala dolce and almond bitters, with an almond garnish stored in Champagne vinegar, salt and sugar. Oh my, this is strong. On first sip: a quintessential dry, dry Martini. Then the marsala dolce seeps in, leaving an empty ground for the almond bitters to shine. What a fantastic aperitif. The serving was a perfect size, took a while to take this one down. And the almond at the end? Sweet-sour, balsamic. An excellent twist on a Martini, served with crisp parmesan (as any marsala should).

Another exciting drink on the menu would be the Terroir, described as ‘Distillates of flint, clay and lichen’. Right. I was initially cautious, but I have always rested my faith in Tony, so went straight for it and was delighted by what I got. The Terroir is prepared by distilling the ‘grape’ flavours out of wine, leaving only the flavours presented by the terroir where the vines grew. However it is prepared, one must approach it like a new spirit unto itself. Beginning with a sourness at the back of the jaw, it moves forward with a mineral and surprisingly floral flavour – very reminiscent of sake. This is a drink I must recommend, especially for its uniqueness.

The custom Rosata bottle. Gorgeous.

On a much more familiar note: A Bellini (Prosecco, peach puree, almond blossom) prepared so fresh, that even my normally bubbly-avoiding self enjoyed it. Finally, a good old Aperol Spritz (Beefeater gin, Aperol, prosecco) and rhubarb cordial. Hm, here is a drink I didn’t quite take to. Primarily because of the overpowering rhubarb cordial.

Service is excellent, no complaints. Very approachable, conversational staff dressed immaculately, all screaming Conigliaro’s personal specifications in uniform design.

The Bicherin

In short, excellent list of cocktails for excellent prices. If any question regarding price can be raised, it would be the size of some of the cocktails (The Negronis and Bellini). In which case, my finger hovers over deciding the score regarding drinks. But the rest of the cocktails are sized accurately regarding their flavours. With excellent service, design, and attention to detail, Bar Termini is certainly a new spot in London that must be seen!

Drinks: **** – *****
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

Bar Termini

7 Old Compton Street, Soho
London W1D 5JE.

http://www.bar-termini.com/

Floridita Ski Chalet pop-up, Soho

Nov24

Type of Bar: Pop up, Winter, Tiny
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Food, Hot Chocolate

Alright, first things first, this isn’t a review of Floridita the bar, but of the ‘Ski Chalet’ pop up they have opened at the bar. With its own menu, the chalet presents a very different variety of drinks from the bar.

Alright, rum. It’s in all the drinks on this menu – 6 drinks, one of which is a sharer between two.

Let’s start with the best.

This can’t *really* be called a ‘cocktail’ as such, but is enough of a reason to visit: the Ski Break presents rich, dark hot chocolate, with Plantation 5yr and cinnamon. Warm, slightly spicy, slightly bitter, slightly sweet, all indulgent. A very short drink in a teacup – but that’s all you need, this is a very heavy drink.

The other at the top of the list would be After the Storm, a mixture that is essentially mulled wine and rum: Red wine, Element 8 spiced rum, heated with citrus infused agave, mandarin Napoleon, raspberry liqueur and Wray & Nephew overproof rum. Skipping the effort of actually mulling the wine and instead heating it up with liqueurs, a heavily alcoholic drink served with a rim of brown sugar and cinnamon is presented. An excellent winter warmer.

After The Storm

A little further down, the White Ice: Brugal Anejo rum, Araku coffee liqueur, Grand Marnier, double cream. Wise to not go for the obvious Kahlua, the Araku makes the drink. Nostalgic, the nose is shockingly similar to the orange chocolate in a box of Macintosh! As far as White Russians go, this doesn’t stand out as much as ‘it is a White Russian’ – the Grand Marnier seems to be more effective on the nose than in flavour – but if a White Russian’s your thing, this is an obvious choice.

Finally, the Adam’s Apple: Appleton (geddit) V/X rum, heated with apple cider, apple liquor, sugar and apple juice. I’m sorry to say that this drink just doesn’t work. Especially at it being the most expensive on the menu, it is one that can be easily avoided. With excellent drinks like the Ski Break and After the Storm, it is best skipped. Its attempt to adhere to the apple theme was not thought out well enough.

The Ski Break

Décor-wise, there isn’t much to be said, it is a sectioned off area with a few ski chalet paraphernalia like furred rugs, etc. Its seclusion from the rest of Floridita is appreciated, but not much to rave about. Considering it is under the staircase, I do wish they gave the underside a new paintjob.

Service was impeccable, on the spot, and very attentive, with Patagonian tapas constantly making its way to the table. On that note, fabulous tapas.

In short, the Ski Chalet is a great spot to pop by on an evening if you happen to be in the area, if only for the Ski Break hot chocolate. Simple but satisfying drinks, and excellent tapas. Pop by.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

Floridita Ski Chalet,

100 Wardour Street,
London W1F 0TN

http://www.floriditalondon.com/

Bistrot Bruno Loubet, Clerkenwell

Nov5

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant
Damage: £££
Ideal for: Food, Date, Small Groups

The BBL, part of the Zetter Hotel, offered the Hoodooist and friends a round after the London Cocktail Week debacle couple of weeks ago (Click HERE for recap) – except this time, service was blameless. Our *new* server was polite and had none of the attitude we dealt with the previous time. So props to that!
Remember, it is rare for service to be a constant problem if the bar is willing to remind their staff – but at the end of the day, service wins out on both atmosphere and drinks as the most important quality a bar offers.

The BBL, a medium sized bistro with rustic design that falls somewhere between traditional and modern provides a short cocktail list with a classical style.

Beginning with the Chamomile Bourbon Sour, it’s exactly what it says on the tin. Luckily not overpowered by the lemon juice as many hurried bartenders tend to go, the chamomile bourbon comes out smoothly, with the subtle floral sweetness of the chamomile, and the red berry sweetness of the bourbon.

The Clerk; Armagnac, Pineau des Charantes Vieux, apricot brandy, egg yolk – I was less thrilled about. Dividing egg yolk can be a task, but would probably be advised here, but that’s just up to taste. Strangely, it was the Pineau des Charantes that stood out to me the most, with the Armagnac slithering in soon after. The apricot brandy aftertaste was mild, and pleasant. An interesting aperitif with a digestif texture.

Finally, the classic York Club; 12yr Havana Club Selection de Maestros Rum, Lillet Rouge, apricot brandy, bitters – similar to a sweet Manhattan with the choice of Lillet Rouge and apricot brandy, with the vanilla of the rum coming soon after.

If there is really anything negative I’d have to say about this experience with the BBL, is that I feel that the prices are a bit ambitious. I can see these drinks charging 9-10.50 pounds, not 10-12. It’s only a pound or so’s difference, so nothing to really complain about, but something I considered. All in all, a relaxed experience – I’m glad they offered to do away with my first impression of their previous employee.

Accidentally half-drunk Chamomile Bourbon Sour and York Club

On that note. The Zetter Town House (click HERE for review) next door is part of the Zetter family like BBL, and we moved there after our round here, for bit of a shock. We stopped by for their Halloween offer, the Nosferatini, wet Gin Martini with Iron and sugar. An enjoyable and unsettling drink with the strong iron aftertaste assaulting the back of the palate.

But in an attempt to take a twist on the Lord Hinchenbroke’s Fizz, we were faced either with a seriously confused communication snafu, or service issue, depending on how you see it.

Said Fizz: Birch liqueur, Antica Formula, Champagne. The transcript of the conversation, with our first, polite server who was wonderful through the night.

“I’d like to try this as a Manhattan, so perhaps an oaky whisky or a Rye, instead of the champagne?”
“I don’t think we can do that, it’s pre-mixed. The boss’ rules.”
“….So you just pour the pre-mix into the champagne? Could you just pour it into the whisky?”
“We will have to charge you extra for the whisky, sorry about that.”
“Never mind then.”

5 minutes later, as usual, curiosity won out. So the Hoodooist decided to stop said boss to have the pre-mix thrown into the whisky regardless of the extra charge.

“I’m sorry, we can’t do that.”
“Wait a minute, don’t you pour the pre-mix into the champagne?”
“Yes.”
“So can’t you pour it into the whisky?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s only for that specific drink.”
“Which you can pour into another like the previous guy said?”
“Not really.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s only for that drink.”
*blank stare*

A failed attempt to force the Hoodooist into an Antica Formula Manhattan later – a completely different drink from the above idea, one considers the service/drinks balance again. So congratulations to a bar I normally enjoy tarnishing a perfectly good evening. Is it possible this was communication issue instead of stubbornness for the sake of art over customer? Perhaps, but that would say a lot about an individual in the service industry having difficulty in communicating. A logical explanation for your choices suffices much better over attempting to switch drinks around. This was a shame I hardly expected to deal with at a normally enjoyable bar.

A bar provides a suitable explanation if they choose to defy the customer, or they’re hardly a bar. “That gin has not been in a freezer, so we can’t use it in our Martinis” is a logical explanation. But if the customer asks for ketchup in their Martini, you put the ketchup in the Martini.

Back to the Bistrot Bruno Loubet review, I look forward to stopping by here for a meal, and a great example of redemption – or maybe the BBL and Zetter Townhouse just dressed as each other for Halloween.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: **
Service: ***

Bistrot Bruno Loubet @ the Zetter Hotel

St John’s Square,
86-88 Clerkenwell Rd,
London EC1M 5RJ

http://www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com/

Cecil’s UFF Tea Ball, London Bridge

Oct29

Type of Bar: Basement, Vintage
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Party, Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Birthdays

Tucked away down the industrial alleyway of 8 Holyrood Street, Cecil’s is a basement venue that on weekends goes from bar to 1930s glam with their galas. With Cecil himself on stage and the wonderfully charismatic Jim McMahon as host, the night wasn’t short of incredible entertainment and fantastic service. We have been to Cecil’s before, as we covered their Paris in London Grand Marnier pop up in London Cocktail Week (Click HERE for review!).

The UFF Tea Ball is characterised by its focus on the 30s and formal wear (always a good excuse to throw on a tux), with varying themes now and again, this time: 1930s Shanghai; with Cecil singing classic tunes on stage in front of a small dancefloor, two large booths on either side of the room and a scattering of tables among the indoor foliage.

Greeted at the door with an Oolong tea based punch, downstairs we begin with a New York of the East: Maker’s Mark Bourbon, a splash of Umeshu plum wine, sugar, bitters, orange twist. Essentially an Old Fashioned with Umeshu, it brought a brightness to the classic, with a lasting earthiness in the aftertaste. An interesting twist. The Cecil’s Rum Swizzle is one of those effortless and classic drinks that demands no pretention or fascination, and in many ways epitomises the style of Cecil’s cocktails, it’s quietly confident and here to get the job done: Santa Teresa Claro rum, Velvet Falernum, spiced sugar syrup from Barbados, lime juice, bitters. I’m going to go ahead and assume the ‘spiced sugar syrup from Barbados’ is the spiced sugar cane syrup that is mixed in with rum to make Velvet Falernum, but I could be wrong. What you get is a clean, soft cocktail that really is a quintessential rum swizzle.

The New York of the East

The star of the evening would definitely be the Aperitif No. 20: El Jimador Reposado tequila, lemon, marmalade, sugar, splash of Kamm and Sons – bright, spry, lively, and effervescent. Citrusy, but only the best of ways, the tart sweetness of the marmalade and warm earthiness of the Kamm and Sons preventing a dreadful leap into sourness.

There was, still a hiccup with the Cecil’s Club Vodka Highball, which might appeal to some, but came off a bit *too* plain: Belenkaya Vodka, Umeshu, stripped cucumber, soda. Besides a distant umeshu after-taste, my bias against this might be the same reason I dislike so many of Hendrick’s Gin signature drinks, you could just eat a cucumber with a shot of vodka. So I am reluctant to judge this harshly since it could be a personal dislike, although it wasn’t a hit across the table for its plainness.

L-R: Cecil’s Rum Swizzle; Cecil’s Club Vodka Highball

Service-wise, as aforementioned, Cecil’s was flawless. Especially with their hosting and shout outs of several birthday parties that seem to take place there. Maybe a *slightly* stricter policy on the formal dress code, after all, ticket holders paid for an event to come out in gowns and tuxes, and the random fellow with shades indoors and his shirt hanging out over his jeans is bit of a dampener – but I suppose everyone needs comic relief.

In short? Cecil’s UFF Tea Ball provides a stimulating night out without the oppressiveness of say, the Blitz Ball, or the general offishness of most of the London Vintage scene. Along with fabulous hosts, and simple, classic cocktails, it’s definitely worth a knees up.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ****
Service: *****

Cecil’s

8 Holyrood Street,
London, SE1 2EL.

http://www.cecilslondon.com/

City of London Distillery, Blackfriars

Oct26

Type of Bar: Basement, Ginstitute
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Gin, Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, After Work, Education

COLD is a rare gem in the City of London, opened in 2012, it finally brought back the distilling of gin to the City after 200 years – and boy do they take it seriously. Climbing down the stairs on unassuming Bride Lane, you’ll walk past their enormous copper stills, Clarissa and Jennifer, on display, which play part of the many Gin Experiences they provide: from tours, flights and tastings, to ginstitutes and making your own gin.

The atmosphere at COLD certainly is one of a late night bar. Dark green walls with an impressively stocked bar and vintage paraphernalia bask in the glow of the stills’ lighting. Further back the sense of being underground heightens, as the Hoodooist hunted down the winged leather Chesterfield armchair in the corner (as one does).

COLD’s ‘Distiller’s Martini’

They are known for their gins made in situ, including the award winning City of London Dry Gin that is also for sale – a well-balanced gin, with tendency to citrus, the distinct flavours of the liquorice, pink grapefruit and orange come through in this spirit, making it a very interesting choice for a:

COLD Distiller’s Martini: City of London Dry gin, Mancino Bianco with a pink grapefruit twist. As aforementioned, the gin is already fairly grapefruit-heavy, so pairing it with the garnish, and a more bitter vermouth that is distinctly flavoured with grapefruit and orange was a bold choice. The gin gives a slight pepperiness to the Martini, but one must acknowledge the overwhelming grapefruit of the drink – moreso than any of the other cocktails here serving up CoL Dry gin. It provides a decidedly smooth Martini that only isn’t to my taste because of the overdone grapefruit, although I did take to it more after getting the garnish out.

A winning drink coming up was a White Martinez, Cocchi Americano, City of London Dry Gin, Luxardo Maraschino, dash of Regans Orange Bitters, maraschino cherry garnish dropped in. This is excellent, but also very sweet, even in comparison to most Martinez’. The orange bitters really does come through with the grapefruit of the CoL gin; combatting with the thick sweetness of the Cocchi Americano and Luxardo Maraschino. Further down the drink, the cherry gets a chance to release its sugars into the drink for further sweetness. Somehow still a wonderful drink regardless of its intense sugariness – but one that takes time to drink.

COLD’s ‘Cristal Clear Martinez’

Chatting with our absolutely wonderful server, a bespoke Gin Old Fashioned was concocted, and was exactly that – an Old Fashioned with Beefeater Borrough’s Reserve Oak Rested Gin – sugar, bitters, grapefruit rind. A sophisticated cocktail often avoided by most bars, using a gin avoided by many gin purists, handled well and confidently, here at COLD. Probably more suitable to a drink like this, Beefeater Borrough’s is rested in French Oak barrels that used to contain Lillet Vermouth, that adds to the gin’s juniper and citrus notes of oaky vanilla, and winter spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. This gin certainly isn’t a Martini gin, but a wonderful idea to use it as a Gin Old Fashioned. Inspired.

After those 3 successful drinks, though, there was one hiccup – the OMG & Tea was a warning with the name, really. CoL Old Tom Gin, Bitter Truth Golden Falernum, Merlet Crème de Peche, Breakfast tea, lemon juice, soda water, garnished with mint and lemon. It ended up being a confused muddle of citrus soda at the end of it. Honestly though, this is a drink that is a warning from the outset, so it was silly to try it.

What COLD does best, is present sophisticated, alcohol heavy drinks – the menu’s occasional attempts into more ‘fun’ cocktail regions come with risk upon reading the ingredients.

The highlight of the night though, was the incredibly knowledgeable and convivial service. Conversing with our servers was a delight, and a highly educational experience. Polite, attentive, the staff are stars.

In summary, COLD is a unique gem in the heart of London’s business sector, and has won awards with good reason. Providing an incredible list of experiences and events, besides their unique gins, makes it a destination in itself. It’s strength lies in its simpler, more sophisticated drinks that demand skill and finesse to construct, and in its wonderful service. A hit in our books.

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: ***
Service: *****

City of London Distillery

24 Bride Lane,
London, EC4Y 8DT

http://cityoflondondistillery.com/

Bedford & Strand, The Strand

Sep28

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Basement
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Food

I’m not sure what it is, but there’s nothing *quite* like the Bedford and Strand in London, and a place the Hoodooist adores. Through a tiny doorway on the corner of (you guessed it) Bedford and Strand, a stairway leads you down to a surprisingly large space for dining and drinking that gets absolutely rammed on weekend nights.

Zinc-bar-inspired, an enormous – beautiful – bar takes all the attention, opposed to the dining area and the few drinking booths on the left, under beams and vines, around random partitions separating the largest table from the rest. I have to admit, I am incredibly biased to the design, in terms of what they were going for, they nailed it on the head. Especially earlier on in the evening, before the place gets crowded. Which is painful since drinks have to be ordered at the bar unless you’re dining.

The cocktail list is fairly simple, not particularly adventurous (not a bad thing, though – if you know your strengths), except for a couple of which stand out.

The star of Cocktail Week 2013 stands out as one of their exceptional drinks, the Foxey Lady #2. Col. Fox Gin, Merlet Fraise, Strawberry Puree, fresh lemon, spicy balsamic vinegar. Soft, smooth, and indeed sweet, the drink balanced wonderful with a bit of balsamic savouriness with a spicy kick following. Very easy to drink, great to relax with.

The Alchemist, I couldn’t really make my mind up on. Pikesville Rye, Kamm & Son’s ginseng, Benedictine and Peychaud’s bitters. The Kamm and Son’s and Benedictine lead to an intensely herbal drink, luckily the slight honeyed note of the Kamm and Son’s help deal with that – but is then followed by the spiciness of the Pikesville, with a gritty finish. The use of a lemon garnish could instead be substituted for orange, because of the dryness of the drink. This one takes time.

Finally, the Ginger Caiprinha didn’t stand out as much as you think it would – but is still a very decent drink. Cachaça, King’s Ginger liqueur, Ginger wine, fresh lime. As much as I love ginger cocktails, it started to feel a bit excessive here, but the Cachaça saved the day. A good drink, but not a great one; decent for 9 pounds.

L-R: Foxey Lady #2; Ginger Caiprinha; The Alchemist

Service is swift, polite. Sure, the absence of table service if you’re not eating can be a trial, but it has its charm in a way – I just know that I will be coming in the early daylit hours to avoid the crowd. Not to mention the over-the-counter food is wonderful. All in all, a bar worth recommending, with a unique style this side of Europe.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ***

Bedford & Strand

1a Bedford Street,
London, WC2E 9HH

http://www.bedford-strand.com/

Bar Americain @ Brasserie Zedel, Soho

Sep25

Type of Bar: Vintage, French, Bar/Restaurant
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Classics

The Brasserie Zedel is so far (up until the Beaumont Hotel, coming soon) Corbin and King’s largest venture, spanning three floors: the ZL Café as you enter, below it is the Crazy Coqs, and finally the Bar Americain and Brasserie. The tiered gastronomicon is a feast for the eyes, and with good reason appeared in the top 10 of Archtectural Digest’s Most Beautiful Venues.
The Hoodooist adores the ZL café as a respite from the bustling Piccadilly Circus, and cannot resist the charm of the Francophone staff and spot-on French café interior – who needs a Eurostar ticket? Especially with the wine list which, though short, has much to offer in quality and price.
Down the stairs, you find yourself in an Art Deco paradise, faced with two very different bars: The Crazy Coqs and the Bar Americain.

The Crazy Coqs Cabaret provides a Lynchian red and monochrome setting for daily cabaret, comedy and jazz performances. Where drinks (10 pounds a pop) are concerned, we find top-shelf liquors served up in classics, suiting the nature of the bar perfectly.

Next, getting past the dashing host of the Bar Americain: the sumptuous venue, again arrayed with the Zedel’s trademark illuminated pillars, is decorated with images of aeroplanes and Sylvain Chomet-esque sketches in a dim-lit environment. Very easy to relax in; fantastic to bring in a couple of friends, and perfect for a date.

You’re faced with classics and a short, but enterprising list of house cocktails. The selection is varied in style, from the bright and lively French Aperitif and Parisian Summer; to the deeper and darker Chrysler Cocktail and Valentino’s Revenge.

The Josephine is a spectacular accomplishment: Golden Rum, Lillet Rouge, Campari, Benedictine, bitters. The initial assault of golden sweetness sinks into the depth of the Lillet Rouge, finally brought up to distant herbal simmer to balance with the Campari and Benedictine. Smooth, and surprisingly easy to drink, the Josephine is quite possibly one of my favourite drinks here.

Lee Hyde’s expertise creates spectacular drinks, but some of the recipes in an attempt to be adventurous, overload the senses with too many ingredients, for example: the Chrysler Cocktail that has such potential, ends up confused and muddled. The Chrysler, even in theory sounds like it needs to lose something, but would then taste wonderful if it did: Cognac, Chambord, port, Campari, Orange Curacao and bitters. On the other hand, the Metropolis’ simple combination of Crémant, cherry liqueur, Orgeat, bitters and lime is a winning combination.

Not to mention, here, classics rule the roost. A whiskey Old Fashioned to knock your socks off and a Martini for days. Beautifully done.

Finally, the Brasserie Zedel – I’m not going to spend long on this, I’ll just say that French friends quickly took to the brasserie, and it certainly is fun to see a Parisian squeal and swear happily at the sight of the menu. Prices can range between 11 pounds for Prix Fixe menus, or go crazy a la carte. The versatile prices mean a wide range of patrons, and therefore always busy. Booking in advance for a Saturday night is necessary, and pre-theatre dinners are packed. There is a selection of tables kept aside, so if you’re walking in, you might still be lucky with a small party.

The Bar Americain and Zedel are impeccable. The variety in what it has to offer makes it a destination all unto itself – on a night out, we struggle to stay in one venue and normally dine or drink in each one.

I’ve always expressed my fondness for Corbin and King ventures, and Zedel was actually my introduction to them. I was similarly impressed by their Fischer’s, Colbert, and Delaunay (Click HERE for review!). I excitedly look forward to the Beaumont Hotel (2014).

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: *****
Service: ****

Bar Americain @ Brasserie Zedel

20 Sherwood Street
London W1F 7ED

http://www.brasseriezedel.com/

Basement Sate, Soho

Sep7

Type of Bar: Basement, Dessert Bar
Damage: ££ – ££££
Ideal for: Desserts, Date, Small Groups

The major positive about Basement Sate showing up in Soho? They got rid of The Player.
You know, the lot where servers didn’t know the difference between a Margarita and a Daiquiri.

ANYWAY, yes, the basement space has been repurposed with 60s Chesterfield sexiness. With that enormous bar and benches in the back, I could honestly see a studio apartment here I’d love to move into. There isn’t much to say about the décor, since there isn’t much, but I do like the openness of the space – which leads me to: though I like the design, the open space and low tables make eating the desserts the bar prides itself on a bit inconvenient, but not much so – it just seems counter-productive at first glance.

Service-wise, fantastic. Servers were attentive, our bartender wonderful, no complaints here. Besides one odd comment from a server about “This drink is heavy, you might not like it.”
Which was odd, but we ignored it.

L’Entree Des Artistes (L); El Pampa (R)

Regarding drinks, our first was the El Pampa, a citrusy concoction of Pisco, almond and champagne syrup, and Granny Smith juice. Unfortunately, the dominating flavour was the Granny Smith, with a hint of the pisco in the back. The drink needed some kind of umph at risk of becoming a spirit+mixer. That umph in a way comes as the intense aniseed on the nose from the star anise, but that is about all. It’s not a bad drink, but it can do a bit better – especially at 12 quid.

As for the L’Entrée Des Artistes: coffee infused rum, sherry, salted caramel and milkt. Friend loved it, personally not my style of drink, but as far as dessert cocktails go, this was pretty decent (and I rarely say that outside Volupte’s dessert cocktails). If I had to have my way though, I would go a bit more in the salted caramel direction and lose one of the others. But for fans of the sweet cocktail, this is it.

Opinions on desserts were split: the Vacherin was a winner with lime meringue, basil cream, strawberry sorbet, cranberry and orange coulis. Tart, surprising, pairing well with the El Pampa. On the other hand, the Raviole – cocoa ravioli, raspberry ginger cream (instead presented as filo flutes), cassis chocolate truffle with gin and citrus gel – was a little less successful compared to the Vacherin, appearing rather doughy. I do wish I went for the Mille Feuille Fromage and Truffle instead.

The Vacherin

My ambivalence regarding Basement Sate is making it difficult to make a decision here. The drinks, whereas not terrible, I wouldn’t pay the prices for. 8 to 10 pounds? Sure. 10 to 14? Not so much. This impacted my strictness in judging the most.

Two suggestions I could make are: First, pairing the drinks with desserts instead. Second, a tasting menu of the food and drink would be something I would enjoy bringing friends to try out. I can see myself returning for a tasting menu (take a page out of The Pudding Bar’s book here, guys).

Drinks: ** (based on value for money)
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ****

Basement Sate

8 Broadwick Street

London W1F 8HN

http://www.basementsate.com

The Cooperage, Greenwich

Aug31

Type of Bar: Basement
Damage: £
Ideal for: Small Groups, Date

Greenwich finally gets its own cocktail bar! In the basement under Davy’s Wine Vaults, The Cooperage offers a whole host of twisted classics, with an enthusiasm for infusions. Dim-lit, sprinklings of armchairs and larger group booths makes the venue reminiscent of the Worship Street Whistling Shop in many ways, and unsuspectingly took up a speakeasy meets pub vibe.

Down to business, let’s start with the star of the night: the Pepper and Paprika Margarita. Pepper and paprika infused tequila, Cointreau, lime and a dash of bitters with a spiced rim brings for a spectacularly bright and exciting cocktail that raises the bar for the rest of menu – if in Greenwich, it is certainly worth stopping by the Cooperage purely for this beauty.

The Fig Sidecar, fig infused Martell VSOP, Cointreau and lime, as one can imagine, tastes pretty much exactly like your everyday Sidecar considering a fig’s subtle flavour, which only makes an appearance as an aftertaste – if you’re looking for it. On a similar note, the Cucumber and Elderflower Collins provides a simple long gin/sugar/lemon/soda combo with a cucumber and elderflower kick.

A drink that surprised though, would be the vodka/lime/ginger beer Chilli and Lemongrass Moscow Mule infused with, well, guess. The first few sips were bit disappointing, but further in, the lemongrass comes in full force. A drink that could do with better presentation.

There was a hiccup though, with a friend’s Rittenhouse Rye Sazerac, where I have to thank our eagle eyed bartender for spotting the reaction to, and switching it out for the Cucumber Collins above. This did not come as a massive surprise though, since I’ve found Sazeracs tend to be a risky order in most venues. The Hoodooist avoided the Old Fashioned for a similar reason, call it a louche’s intuition.

Service was very positive, bartenders were attentive and chatty, and happy to help if your drink doesn’t work for you. With great value for money, The Cooperage might have a small case of hit and miss, but can be avoided if you rely on your intuition. In short, simple, affordable, effective, a great spot to chill on a weekday.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

The Cooperage @ Davy’s Wine Vaults

161 Greenwich High Road,
London SE10 8JA

http://www.davy.co.uk/cooperage

Highball Hoodoo

London, Cocktails, you know the drill

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