Powder Keg Diplomacy, Wandsworth

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

Powder Keg Diplomacy – cousin to the Lost Society & Lost Angel (Review HERE) offering drinks of the same nature, trend and quality as its brethren, but in a much calmer restaurant setting.

Disclaimer / Trigger Warning:

“Honouring tradition while subverting convention”, the PKD motto announces; but this bar nostalgic to times very few living people can remember, has distinct similarities and differences to its relatives – in a concerning way. The pseudo-Victorian nature of the décor in the LS & LA is taken to the extreme at the PKD – but in the worrying theme of colonialism and empire – proudly described as “an urban colonial environment”. Derridans, do with that as you will. The designer seems to forget there is a difference between patriotism, and pride in colonialism. As a descendant of British emigrants and soldiers of the empire to foreign conquered lands who themselves chided colonialism upon witnessing the result of colonialism in these countries, I couldn’t help but be a bit uncomfortable with the giant mural in front of my table painting the establishment of empire in countries I share homes and relatives with. Should’ve guessed considering the word ‘Diplomacy’ here is defined by a keg of gunpowder. Maybe I just don’t get the irony?

Here, and Here are handy lists about atrocities committed by the British Empire.

This bizarre misplaced nostalgia of empire is served up alongside “approachable seasonal British fare”, “sourced solely from the land and sea of the United Kingdom”, which is at best, irony or mistake in philosophy; or at worst, the normalisation of colonial politic. Rendered almost funny by a friend’s comment about how the Victorian Empire was just a search for decent food, which is why it ended when it found curry.

Before anyone launches at me for being uncomfortable with the décor, I’d like to say that there is a way to have a Victorian theme to a venue without going down this route (See: The Lost Angel, Zetter Townhouse). But really it’s up to you, this is just a disclaimer.

Henry Martini Rifle

Cocktails: On the ball. Excellent value for excellent drinks (Don’t you love Zone 2?)

Whitley Neill Gin, ‘gunpowder’ green tea vermouth, maple syrup, dandelion & burdock bitters came together for the Henry Martini Rifle, is apparently ‘inspired’ by the rifle used “to overpower and subdue colonies”. Right.
The drink was a decent wet Martini, the primary flavour being the initial hit of the gunpowder smokiness after the gin bite (the green tea infused vermouth itself being distantly reminiscent of jasmine), followed by the dandelion & burdock bitters being surprisingly strong; served in a tiny coupe while the rest is chilling in an ice filled tumbler. Well rounded, and an excellent aperitif.

The Ben and Jerries makes an excellent drink for the sweet tooth, Appleton VX & Santa Teresa rums, strawberry shrub, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and a natural yoghurt powder rim. I love that the (though intense) flavour of the strawberry shrub does not overpower the drinker, so well balanced with the spicy oak of Appleton VX – and the very different kind of subtle brown sugar sweetness of the Santa Teresa. You don’t have much time to worry about the drink before you lick the powder from your lips and the sudden clashing appearance of the powder hits you, the sweet-sour yoghurt powder finishing the drink off wonderfully.

The Bourbinheim seemed to be the hit of the night – hibiscus & sour cherry smoke, Woodford Reserve, Maraschino liqueur, Punt e Mes. Punt e Mes & Maraschino are always a winning combination to add to dark spirits; and the whisky is smoked excellently but the sour sweetness of the smoke. For a deep, enveloping, sweet-but-not, cocktail, the Bourbinheim is fantastic.

Bourbinheim

BUT, there were problems: A (unfortunately) particularly disappointing drink was the Hanakatoba Sour was meant to combine “the honey and citrus in the ginseng to really stimulate the senses”: Umeshu, ginseng liqueur, King’s Ginger liqueur, fresh lemon juice and egg white. At the end of it, it was straight citrus through and through. There was a hint of umeshu deep in the distance, but that was about all. Would love to try the drink without the last two ingredients, just as a wine-based umeshu drink. The Gincess Gimlet was another little hiccup, but not as much of a problem as the Hanakatoba; Plymouth Navy Strength Gin, rhubarb and rosehip syrup and lemon juice felt confused and reminded me instantly of the PortSide Parlour’s (Click HERE for review) ‘Grace Jones’ (which we eventually described as ‘soup’).

A drink we didn’t try, but referenced the misplaced notion of positive-colonialism would be the ‘Silk Road’ – apparently a “respectable nod towards the trade route that was central to cultural interaction of Asia and the Mediterranean… Flavours from far and wide brought together”. And yet, 3 of the 4 ingredients come from Central America and the Caribbean an ocean away – Mezcal, tequila, curacao, pomegranate molasses. Were the words ‘respectable nod’ sarcastic? You decide. Baijiu, arak, arrack, raki, Huangjiu and various Mediterranean alcohols & flavours still exist that could have been used.
The Lost Angel does a drink called the Silk Route Martini, which is at least inspired by the idea, with Opihr gin and its various spice-botanicals that were traded on said route.

Service was spectacular for a venue with loudish music. Swift, attentive, always up for a little chat; Maskell and his team are once again at the top of their game when it comes to hosting. Excellent points for hospitality!

In short, well, I don’t know if there is an in short for this venue. Drinks are not really hit and miss, since the drinks that didn’t work out seemed suspicious just from their list of ingredients, so didn’t surprise me. But the drinks that worked well, were absolutely wonderful. The excellent service was one of the best parts of our evening. It just kept getting tainted by the theme, the names of some of the drinks and their descriptions. For some of you, this might not be a problem, but I feel it is something that should be highlighted and acknowledged by a visitor before going there, in order to not be…. Surprised.

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: “I dub this country BongoBongoLand”
Service: ****

Powder Keg Diplomacy

147 St. Johns Hill,
London SW11 1TQ

http://www.powderkegdiplomacy.co.uk/

The Zetter Townhouse Cocktail Lounge, Clerkenwell

Aug6

Type of Bar: Hotel, Lounge, Victorian
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups

If you’re looking for the Zetter Townhouse Marylebone & Seymour’s Parlour (opened 2015), Click HERE!

A long-time favourite, The Zetter Townhouse Cocktail Lounge is where the Hoodooist fell in love with Tony Conigliaro’s work. The townhouse itself is hidden away and fairly discreet behind the more demanding Zetter Hotel and surrounding restaurants, but the design inside is unlike anything else in the area.

Deep reds lend to the Victorian-boyishness of the venue – between fireplaces crowned with stuffed parasol-wielding cats, and boxing kangaroos. Don’t let the ping-pong table in the Games Room (which can be hired for events) fool you; every inch of the luscious plushness of the venue is decorated with eccentricity. I could claim that this up there with the Artesian and Bar Americain (Click HERE for Review!) as one of the best looking bars in London.

The cocktail list is equally impressive. Altering every few months, some classics stay ever present. The general theme (at least amongst the most fascinating drinks) is short, but strong and intense in flavour, as well as being a bit experimental without trying far too hard – just the Hoodooist’s style, and reminiscent of the Megaro Bar.

Every single drink on the house cocktail list is one the Hoodooist would enjoy. Each is 9.5 (as well as house cocktails from the past no longer on the menu), but other drinks and classics will be 10.5 pounds.

Drie Van Drie (L), The Flintlock (R)

Let’s look at one of the shining glories of the list: The Flintlock. Beefeater 24 gin, gunpowder tea tincture, sugar, dandelion & burdock bitters, and Fernet Branca. It opens up with the Fernet Branca and gunpowder tea, leading to the strongest flavour of the drink: the dandelion sweetness. Sweet though it is, it never wanders far from the simmering deep fieriness of the more complex flavours.

The Drie Van Drie is present for whisky fans – infused with seaweed, with salted-liquorice bitters and sherry. Besides being a fantastic tipple, you may have to ask for another drop of the bitters to add a bit of complexity to it, or the whisky can overpower the rest of the cocktail. A very short drink, it still takes a while to enjoy with its strength and intensity. The seaweed is less of a punch-you-in-the-face flavour, but adds instead, an ambience to the experience. The sherry is unmistakable and warms the drinker nicely.

Foreground: Constantinople (L), Les Fleurs du Mal (R); Background: Milk Collins (L), The Ivy (R)

For long drinks, the Milk Collins is an excellent choice – don’t fear the milk syrup, it is spectacularly welcoming to what would otherwise be a classic gin/lemon/sugar/soda combo. Normally fearing the long drink, even the Hoodooist took to the Milk Collins pretty quickly. Otherwise, there is the mysterious Ivy, Perrier Jouet Champagne with sugar that has been doused in ivy aromatics is a drink (though long), but be drunk quickly after a couple of minutes of breathing. The first half of the drink is fairly uninteresting, but the last half suddenly explodes with an enchanting greenness from the ivy. Apologies, but ‘enchanting greenness’ is the only way I could describe the ivy – you’ll know it when you taste it.

Let’s end with the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ of the ZTH bar: Les Fleurs du Mal. It was removed from the menu quite a while ago, but the bartenders still get orders for it from old fans. Ordering it might be met with a sigh. Absinthe, rose vodka, lemon and egg white – the drink certainly has the strong absinthe flavour, the rose is faded behind the citrus. It’s worth trying if you’ve gone through the rest of the menu. It could do with a bit more rose, and less citrus.

Oh, and do not miss the anchovy-stuffed deep-fried olives, or the chocolate fudge. You will thank me later.

Service is excellent, informative, and engaging. Bartenders are happy to elaborate on drinks, make suggestions and knock something up if necessary. The ZTH is crowded most of the time, but service is much better when crowded. Exhaustion tends to set in when the bar finally empties out, so make the most of the crowded hours.

At the end of it all, it is difficult for me to find fault with the Zetter Townhouse Cocktail Lounge. Tony C. really put himself into this bar, and the décor is exquisite. With impeccable service and drinks, it is a wonderful place to get away from the City and seclude yourself amongst the couches, pillars and curtains of the ZTH. Still ranking as one of my favourite venues in London.

Update Late 2014: Since some staff changes, there has been a slight decline in service, a shame considering how the bar excels in other ways.

Drinks: *****
Atmosphere: *****
Service: ** – ***
The Zetter Townhouse Cocktail Lounge,

49-50 St John’s Square,
London, EC1V 4JJ

http://www.thezettertownhouse.com/clerkenwell/bar

Communion Bar, Camberwell

Jun25

Type of Bar: Hotel, Basement, Quirky, Theme
Damage: £ – ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Live Music

Who said church wasn’t fun.

This gem tucked away under Church St Hotel in Camberwell is a welcome addition to London’s bar retinue as of December. In fact, this is one of my longer reviews, going through so much of the menu – primarily because many of London’s cocktails bars seem to have forgotten that Happy Hour does not instantly make your bar a Yates. In fact, it is the perfect time for intimate drinks and snacks at Communion, with a wonderful cocktail list.

For one, can we talk about this design for a second? Coming through the heavy wood and metal-hinged door into the depths of the hotel’s basement, stained glass windows adorn the hardwood panelling, depicting various scenes from the Bible, primarily Genesis and Revelations – among them the Hoodooist’s favourite Biblical scene: The Worship of the Golden Calf, sprawling on the wall across from the bar.

There is a slightly infernal and deliciously sacrilegious feel about Communion – peculiarly macabre stained glass scenes in a dark, basement venue are paired with upbeat Soul and Funk tunes, and on weekends, live bands of the same genres. You’ll notice no bar stools to make the most of the space to dance to the live bands.

Taking our seat, we notice that each table comes with communion wafers and a beautiful little shot of red wine, poured daily. I gave it a moment’s thought – what I love about the atmosphere here is that it has a strong theme, without it becoming gimmicky by overwhelming you with introductions, stories, character bartenders/servers – or having to come up with a film noir story to get in (*ahem*). The mini-Eucharist was all that was necessary, and the most it should do, to keep the theme without over-doing it. Just about right.

Looking at the menu, it is longer than at first glance – and incredibly varied. The theme of the first page is that each drink is dedicated to the different cultures that define the bricolage of South London’s landscape.

Our first drink, the sweet Tannery (Vodka, Araku rum coffee liqueur, Nigerian Guiness foam and chilly chocolate) is an excellent espresso-less Espresso Martini. The coffee flavour of the Araku and the head of Nigerian Guiness dishes it out adequately, and the edible chocolate rim that you can nibble away at throughout the drink is a great perk – a perfect balance of coffee and chocolate. The Dry Cherry Ilegal (Ilegal Mezcal, juice of grilled Sicilian lemons, Cherry Marnier and bitters. Served straight up with Amarena Cherry sugar rim) comes with one of my favourite mezcals, whose light smokiness carries the initial citrus of the drink, which opens up on the cherry and the intense sweetness of the sugar rim. Don’t let that fool you into thinking the drink is overwhelmingly sweet, it certainly isn’t – the Sicilian lemon’s tartness mediates it well. Could use a teensy bit more mezcal.

The Ortanique Grind & Bubble (L); and Dry Cherry Ilegal (R).

The Pretty Little Shanty Town (Dark rum, Velvet Falernum, lime, ginger, orange bitters & molasses) begins strongly with ginger and Falernum’s spiciness, ending on the sweetness of the rum and rounded off with the molasses. The garnish of this drink is more the star, with orange slices dried in situ, and irresistible Spanish honeycomb. The Ortanique Grind & Bubble (dash of Punt E Mes, Vanilla & orange flower infused Stolichnaya, home-made limoncello, fresh Jamaican Ortanique & Prosecco) is a wonderfully fresh and lively drink. The prosecco is, like in all bubbly drinks, the most demanding flavour, but otherwise, the drink opens on the Ortanique and limoncello, leading into the strong Punt e Mes. The Orange flower is somewhat detectable, but I had trouble finding the vanilla.

Less balanced drinks: The Calvary’s (Dicatador Rum, morello cherry, lime, egg white, St John Commandaria wine) sweet wine unfortunately has a tendency to drown out the flavour of the rum, though the morello cherry does eventually take charge – a decent drink, but less so compared to the previous ones. Similarly, the Fresh & Loose’s Scandinavian twist (Beefeater 24 shaken with fresh cucumber, dill, fennel, citrus and egg white, with couple dashes of Peychaud’s bitters) was dominated by cucumber and citrus, with flashes of dill – but still a well crisp drink.

The one drink I was not impressed by was the Outlaw (Jim Beam, home-made cranberry syrup, mint, sugar & chocolate bitters), which was drowned out by the strength of the mint.

The Pretty Little Shanty Town (L); and Fresh & Loose (R).

WHEW. This’ll take up a whole Sunday.

Service through all this was absolutely delightful, attentive, and conversational – we couldn’t have asked for a better hostess. Bartenders were quick and on the ball with their home-made ingredients – there is real talent here.

Really falling for Communion, I almost don’t want to tell you about it. A bit out of the way to get to, but worth the travel; Communion Bar is a rare cocktail bar in the area, and certainly sets the bar high. The Hoodooist looks forward to returning.

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

Communion Bar

Church ST Hotel,
29-33 Camberwell Church St,
Camberwell,
London SE5 8TR

http://www.communionbar.com

The Delaunay, Aldwych

Jun16

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

Anyone who has met me knows I do love a good Corbin and King. And I love the Delaunay no less. The Central European charm is all very coded-telegram-in-the-croissant which appeals to me to no end – this is a matter of taste, though. The 1940s feel, with its hardwood and white cloth deserves a bit more effort in the appearance department from the clientele. But the superbly presented staff, who are just the right mix of warm and cold, suit perfectly.

Even though my priority is cocktails, it is far too easy to get distracted by painfully shiny silver coffeepots and the most tempting of viennoiserie and patisserie, baked to perfection, dressed immaculately. The menu (breakfast, brunch, lunch and a la carte), is generally simple comfort food, but one can’t complain when it is done so well. The choices and twists on the ice cream coupes makes coming here or to the deli counter just for sweet worthwhile in itself. Expect typical central European fair of wursts, frites, brioche and schnitzel. An obscenely long list of starters is accompanied by a short entree list of exclusively meat – leaving very little for vegetarians, unfortunately.
Bringing myself back to my purpose with drinks – expect a short list of very simple, two-ingredient classics. 8 to 9 pound well-made Old Fashioneds, Last Words and Sazeracs. Although the Manhattan ordered perfect came a bit more on the dry side.

For a less intense flavour, do try the Veritas (Bourbon and Port). If my taste wasn’t for the short and strong, I might find myself complaining at the lack of tall, fruity drinks – but the Delaunay is really sticking to its guns to protect its classic European atmosphere you’d expect right out of Coppola’s ‘Youth Without Youth‘. The Delaunay demands a long, languid dinner.

If you have visited Fischer’s, another Viennese Corbin and King establishment, you have an idea of exactly what the menu might look like – just less formal. If you enjoyed it, you’ll certainly enjoy the Delaunay.

If you like trendy, juicy, chrome and glass – this is not the place for you.The Delaunay earns high scores for excellent atmosphere, on-the-ball service and rather good bartending, even if the list is short and classic.

If you enjoy Corbin & King’s work, do check out our review of the Bar Americain @ Brasserie Zedel, Soho!

Drinks: *** (if you consider this is primarily a restaurant, ****)
Atmosphere: *****
Service: ****

The Delaunay,

55 Aldwych,
London WC2B 4BB

http://www.thedelaunay.com/‎

Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge

Jun12

Type of Bar: Hotel, Oriental
Damage: ££££
Ideal for: Date. Welp, you can’t fit any more people in here.

The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is less of a destination and more of a pitstop. It’s an ‘I haven’t got a table for the Blumenthal yet’ kind of purgatory.

Finding ourselves here after a friend’s birthday dinner, I suppose we were expecting an indulgent, becouched, besuited den of iniquity, but instead found short-sleeve shirts and a tiny bar.

The environment and décor felt a bit dated, but not dated enough. The 90s pan-Asian feel and cramped spaces were awkward. The lounge music suffered a similar problem. But if you were lucky enough to find yourself in a comfortable space like we had, you’d have a chance to deconstruct the cocktail menu in your own time.

Which was odd. It’s insistence on an ‘Oriental’ feel ended up with a minestrone issue. “Is this flavor used on the other side of the planet? Let’s throw it in with half a dozen other ingredients, one spirit and probably some bubbly.” None of the drinks really stood out. One example is the Fig Martini – drowned in pineapple juice. The Grass Mule, for example, would have made a fantastic East Asian Martini without the ginger beer.

In need of a warming drink, I went for the Dine (Cognac, Port, red wine, Angostura, almond, lemon), which was pleasant enough, but not much to write home about. It stood out because unlike many of the drinks, it was alcohol-based with flavor – instead of a juice smoothie with alcohol thrown in for kick. I must applaud the use of avocado in the drinks as well, which is a nice change from egg white for similar texture.

Of course, if juicy drinks are your thing, by all means make your way to the Mandarin, but judge if 16.50 is what you want to pay for one drink that doesn’t feel all that deserving – especially when you have similarly priced giants like the Savoy or the Dukes – I don’t see myself rushing back any time soon.

NOTE: I would give drinks 3 stars to make room for those who enjoy juicier drinks, but with the price they are charging for mediocrity, I am tempted to give it only 2 stars.

Drinks: ** (***, possibly.)
Atmosphere: **
Service: ***

The Mandarin Bar
Mandarin Oriental Hotel,
66 Knightsbridge,
London SW1X 7LA

www.mandarinoriental.com/london/fine-dining/mandarin-bar/‎

Holborn Dining Room & Delicatessen, Holborn

Jun9

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

My word, is this place beautiful.

We stumbled onto the HDR and were glad for it. My hangover needed as much food as it could stomach.

The atmosphere is reminiscent of a Corbin and King venture (always a good thing) and the cocktail menu is uncomplicated and unique without trying too hard. The bright room with its shades of red, creams and whites accentuated with gold linings create a peculiar vibe of Vienna-cum-Manhattan, and is successfully versatile as a venue. Expect to see a roughly equal mix of dates, couples, families and friends on a lunch out. On that note, the venue looks its best in the daytime.

The enormous venue houses a bar, large dining area, and charcuterie counter with seats. The hot and cold counter menus provide more than enough choice for bites in the side of your drink with reasonable prices.

Unless you’re dining, do get a seat at the bar for the rousing chats with the bartenders. With drinks reasonably priced, you really can’t say no to a second. It may be a short list, but it is effective. The Highlander (Bulleit Borboun, spiced honey, hazelnut) does the job with its simplicity and perfectly reflects the bar’s feel of modern unpretentious sophistication.

The one drink that seemed out of place, yet worked wonderfully was the Camden Town Treacle: Havana rum combined with fresh apple juice and ‘Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Reduction’, was just the right combo of sweet and tart. And who knew rum and black ale reduction created whiskey? Which makes one wonder if it would work as just ‘Whiskey and apple juice’?

But you can’t go wrong with the cigar-esque Montecristo Daiquiri, tobacco infused Havana rum, vanilla liqueur and lime juice – sweeter on the nose than expected, but the rush of flavours upon the first sip need a few moments on the palette to separate.

The quintessentially British menu is absolutely worth the money (Starters at roughly 8 pounds, Sirloin steak at 24), and cooked to perfection. If there is any complaint regarding the food, it would be the menu, which desperately needs more vegetarian options that are not the tired mushroom risotto. Speaking with the manager, it seems this problem had been mentioned before, and the main launch would consider more original options for vegetarians.

Service was blameless. Upbeat and on the ball bartenders and waiters make the service worth it. Definitely look forward to returning.

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

Holborn Dining Room

252 High Holborn,
London WC1V 7EN

www.holborndiningroom.com/‎

PortSide Parlour, Shoreditch Press Launch

Jun5

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

See our previous review of PortSide Parlour at Broadway Market for more info on drinks! Though we will cover some new ones here.

PortSide Parlour has finally dropped anchor in Shoreditch! And with a vengeance – a style redo and jazzed up cocktail list has completed the Holy Rivington Trinity of PP, NOLA and Callooh Callay.

When I say style redo, we’re looking at a snazzy hardwood and copper bar, extensive display of rums, industrial lighting over green booths and further tables in the back. Rather cosy in comparison, reservations are *highly* recommended.

I believe we also have some newcomers on the menu!

The Lost in the Woods is a spectacular opener of an Old Fashioned with maple syrup, Cedarwood bitters, and Applewood smoke. How wonderful is this drink? The first glass I got skimped on the smoke a bit, but the second was an incredible display of the smoke’s woody aroma with the sweetness of the maple toned down by the whisky, ending on the cedarwood right at the end. Seductive, spectacular.

Now, the Daiquiri Belotta is something of a marvel. Incredibly simple, and knows what it’s doing – Plantation 3 star white rum (Jamaican, Bajan and Trinidadian blend), Amontillado sherry, and Belotta liqueur. It’s far livelier than first expected, lightly citrus on the nose, yet still incredibly sweet – Belotta’s chestnut (almost chocolate) flavour goes well with the Amontillado’s nuttiness for wonderfully light sweet drink that doesn’t skimp on the liquor.

There was some sampling of the food that PP wants to make essential to the new PP experience, such as the light chicken liver parfait, as a taster to the tapas menu they will be offering.

Daiquiri Belotta (L); and Lawnmower Sling (R)

The event itself was a major success, and bit of an industry celebrity collective – props to Charlie and team for keeping the Parlour afloat in its busiest hours in the cosiness of the venue; Shaun, our wonderful bartender; Connor, for the attentive service; and Cutlass Comms for having us! I see my nights at on Rivington Street getting a little bit more dizzy and confused attempting to Hailo.

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

PortSide Parlour

14 Rivington Street,
Shoreditch
London EC2A 3DU

http://portsideparlour.co.uk/

Peg + Patriot, Bethnal Green

May28

Type of Bar: Hotel, Experimental
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Originality

First, let’s deal with the first thing you see upon entering the Town Hall.

Alright then, turn right after that into the Peg + Patriot, barely a fortnight old. The décor, simple, dimly lit and unabashedly minimalist leaves the bartenders at centre stage (with all their own homemade spirits!) for the patrons to observe.

Experimental bartender, Matt Whiley, is bringing his skills from his last venture as the pop up-then-permanent Talented Mr. Fox at One Leicester St. to his own bar here at the Town Hall, and does so with spectacular new developments in style.

By which I mean, the menu. I was thrilled by the look of it; it is so different from the previous bars he has been associated with. There is a confidence to it that is so refreshing. My main concern with the previous menus was each drink trying to accomplish too much, too fast – I doubt they were being obnoxious, as much as trying to be novel – which they were. But the new menu seems to have evolved to be more self-aware, relying on either one powerful flavour, or two subtler ones to work together instead of trying to constantly outdo itself and the drinker.

Nonetheless, each drink was a surprise, and one never really gets what they expect. This can be for better or worse, depending on the drink. Let’s review the best first.

The Pho Money Pho Problems is exquisite – Pho spirit and lime, with pak choi and lime leaf as aromatics provides an excellent, almost gimlet like drink. Strong, potent, in both content and flavour. The spices all come through, coriander, ginger, chilli, it summarised my entire experience with Mr. Whiley: wondering if I was hallucinating the meat or not. Wonderfully smooth and savoury, a definite try.

Another hit was the Rice Rice Baby, roasted rice ice cream liqueur in sparkling Cocchi Brut. Exactly what it says on the tin. The flavour of the roasted rice and… is that hazelnut?… grows stronger further down the drink, but rarely tiresome. Not a complex drink, but a satisfying one.

Left to Right: D. Groner; Rice Rice Baby; Barley Legal

But then, there are some questions to be raised.

What made the D. Groner (Cognac, bitters, salt beef beigel and lime) interesting was first, the mustard leaf on the nose, then the incredible beefy coating of the mouthfeel. Otherwise though, I’m afraid the drink was mostly, well, cognac. Nonetheless, the cognac was satisfying, but in the end, it was the mouthfeel that made it unique and essentially, not just a glass of cognac. I guess I expected a bit more since the beef really came through in the Talented Mr. Fox’s Peasant’s Breakfast.

There was a similar opinion of the Batanga: Blanco Tequila, Chinato Cola Vermouth, lime, cherry salt rim. The rim was far too salty to make the most of the cherry – and the tequila’s dilution made it almost unnecessary compared to reason why there is a salt rim on a margarita. The tequila itself is wonderful, but like the D. Groner, it feels like diluted tequila. Here is a drink with great potential, but didn’t live up to it – this time.

Finally, the 142^nd + Lenox. I need someone to explain this to me because it went right over my head. Moonshine Kid White Ape (Sweetcorn and cornflakes distillate), peach shrub, egg white and a few drops of coal oil. Primarily cornflakes on the nose, the flavour is all peach and the coal oil is essentially, well, bitter drops of coal. I felt like this was an example of the previous ventures’ hubris. Okay, hubris is a strong word, but I’m still lost on exactly what this drink is trying to accomplish.

Left to Right: Pho Money Pho Problems; Batanga; 142nd + Lenox

All that said, I am still expecting to return and try out the Riot Cup Number One: White port, o’Clock Sugar (the sugar distilled from Pimms), cucumber phosphate (the acidity from cucumbers), ginger ale; and the Rye Your Eyes Mate (mustard maple herbs liqueur?), though it sounds like it’s attempting too much. The Vesgroni is also on my list, though I’m expecting a viscous Negroni.

So, I suppose, yes, there is still obnoxiousness to the ingredients on the menu (then again, how different is that to being 19 and asking what Fernet Branca is? It’s fun to feel young again,), but service is less so, and servers are happy to explain it to you as long as they’re in a good mood (“Could you tell us more about the coal oil?” – “It’s coal.” – “Oh. Okay.”) Otherwise, service is rather decent.

In short? One can’t take away Mr. Whiley’s striving for originality, even if it makes the ingredients exhausting to keep asking details for. The good news is to see a certain amount of restraint and confidence in the menu’s construction, creating one that stands stronger to the previous. A definite amount of props has to be given to the use of homemade spirits, and excited to see what their future with shots is going to bring – I imagine each shot to hopefully come with aromatic pairings.

Peg + Patriot might have a mixed review, but it certainly makes for an excellent day out trying each one and discovering something new, even if it is just cognac with unique mouthfeel, or as much as pho as a cocktail (still in love). I look forward to returning to try out more of the menu.

Drinks: **** (Caveat emptor, come with an open mind)
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ***

Peg + Patriot, Town Hall Hotel,

Patriot Square,
Bethnal Green,
London, E2 9NF

http://www.pegandpatriot.com

Shaker & Company, Warren Street

May21

Type of Bar: Local
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Food, Date, Small Groups, Large Groups

Warren Street doesn’t usually come to mind where cocktailing is concerned (unless you count Goodge Street just South), but right next to one of our favourite Mexican restaurant/bars Mestizo; Shaker and Co. suddenly sprung up.

It’s not easy running a cocktail bar round here, so I’m glad to see introduction of the Monday Cocktail Cinema Club, with movies of various eras and genres coming with 20 pounds for 2 pizzas and 2 cocktails. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

Décor upstairs is simple, wood tables and chairs, leather couch lining the walls. The beautiful and immense bar framed by a stag head is easy on the eyes though. The basement changes form now and again, once being a monastery, currently in a Belle Époque phase, comfortable for the cinema club. The basement can also be hired for a private venue for larger groups.

As for the drinks, this is a mixed bag. The cocktail list at first glance didn’t quite grab me. Quite of a few of the cocktails try to do more than they should – this isn’t saying there are no good drinks. Our first drink was nameless, limited and running for a short time only: rum, maraschino and gunpowder earl grey liqueur concoction – which was wonderful in its simplicity. Smoky, layered and slightly tart with lemon juice. It knew what it was there to do, and accomplished it. Very satisfying.

The Irish Blood, English Heart came with Irish whiskey, spiced port reduction, Benedictine, blood cherry liqueur, and mandarin bitters. Though sweet, it formed a neat dry drink. Not as fascinating as it sounds, but a good drink, over all.

I ended with the Gentleman’s Recline. Cigar infused Glenfiddich 12, stirred with Byrrh, Calvados, spiced port reduction, and liquorice bitters on ice. This drink, sadly, was a complete disappointment. Sometimes the calvados might sneak through, but otherwise was just a very orange-citrusy Old Fashioned. At 9.50, I felt a bit cheated.

What you can turn to, instead, is the wonderfully affordable and delightful food. I wish the drinks were more like the food and didn’t try so hard. I highly suggest the sweet potato wedges for snacks. The main focus: the pizzas, are excellent, as well as the smaller pizzettes. Cheese and charcuterie boards also available.

Shaker and Co. earns a decent score in great service and good food, but house cocktails can be hit and miss, primarily for usually having one more ingredient than necessary, or attempting to be too complex. Still, the right choice can make a difference. For their event nights, it’s certainly a fun stop and a great local if you live in the area.

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

Shaker and Company

119 Hampstead Rd,
London NW1 3EE

www.shakerandcompany.co.uk/

Satan’s Whiskers, Bethnal Green

May18

Type of Bar: Local
Damage: £
Ideal for: Small Group, Date

Alrighty, let’s get stuck right in.

Perhaps we came in a bit early; maybe the sunlight stole a bit from the atmosphere of a place that should be enjoyed in the dark, so I can’t really make vast claims about it. The taxidermy is certainly a fun touch – makes me wonder if the Last Tuesday Society up the street had anything to do with it.
Satan’s Whiskers is definitely a quirky little spot, and would make a fine local if you lived in the area. And definitely a late evening bar.

Grabbing our table, the menu doesn’t state the brand of spirits, so I decided to ask. ‘Bourbon, lemon, maple syrup and bitters’, the St. Lawrence tells me. When our drinks arrived, our not particularly polite server, when asked “Could you please tell us which brands of spirits you’ve used in these drinks” replied:

“Knob Creek.”
“And in this drink?”
“Tanqueray.”
*pause*
“And in this one?”
“Finlandia.”
There was an exasperated sigh and he wandered off without letting us finish “And what about the vermouth?”
Note, there were 5 servers and the only other people there was a group of six.

So we began on a fairly sour note. But we shall return to the sour service at the end of our experience.

Should check out the unicorn skeleton

The St. Lawrence above is still a decent drink. Strongly citrus on the nose, it has a soft bourbon opening, ending with the maple syrup’s aftertaste. It is a smooth, pleasant drink I’d recommend to anyone and would definitely order again.

The signature Satan’s Whiskers is a mix of Tanqueray gin, Grand Marnier, fresh orange and vermouth; was conflicting. Personally, I found it to be orange juice in a coupe, but one of the members of the group took to it fairly well. The Salty Dog of Finlandia vodka, pink grapefruit and pink salt came off as being flat, the salt rim being a bit redundant since it was impossible to put to your lips without cringing. Then the Stone Fence. Knob Creek Bourbon, ginger liqueur, lemon and hard cider met to create a purely citrus drink that had a slight ginger hint in there somewhere.

You’ll notice my normally lengthy description of drinks is very short here. Because that’s it: There isn’t anything to say about them.

Though, the St. Lawrence was still pretty decent.

Left to Right: Satan’s Whiskers, St. Lawrence, and Stone Fence.

We ended staring at the bar. Sitting nearest to the bar, we didn’t disturb the two bartenders busy shaking, another employee was busy working away on a laptop, and no other server was to be seen. Nonetheless, the server who did eventually show up was rather polite in wonderful contrast to the first disappointment – so service can be better on a good day.

I want to like Satan’s Whiskers. After all, service isn’t a 24/7 problem (unless you work at the Experimental Cocktail Club), but it certainly wasn’t anywhere close to optimal, noting that we were the only other people there other than a group of six – when the menu states there are 5 servers, they couldn’t be spread that thin.

Nonetheless, it is a very affordable bar, and it’s worth stopping by for a quick Manhattan, but wouldn’t make it the venue of the night.

Drinks: ** (I suspect there is potential here with different drinks)
Atmosphere: ***
Service: **

Satan’s Whiskers

343 Cambridge Heath Road,
London E2 9RA

https://www.facebook.com/satanswhiskers

Highball Hoodoo

London, Cocktails, you know the drill

Tag Archives: Date