Whisky Mist, Phoenicia Hotel, Beirut

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I am aware of Whisky Mist in London, though I haven’t been… well not as far as I can remember anyway! The swanky branch of the club in Beirut is part of the Phoenicia complex, blissfully convenient for hotel guests, and near the centre of town for other partygoers.

Passing the queue of wide-eyed hopeful attendees, we entered a swarm of bunny ears bobbing excitedly in time to the rhythmic music. Recognising the giant iconic rabbit imprinted on the wall, we were alerted to the theme for the night, Playboy Mansion… did we expect anything less?!

Luxurious and expensive Whisky Mist is the rendezvous for Beirut’s elite. A young and beautiful crowd dances expertly, drinking champagne and laughing as if without care in the world. The place smells of sweat and money… the type of joint I’d sneer at in London and yet here, in the very alive town of Beirut, I felt enthused and encouraged by the passion, energy and fun of it all.

Gorgeous skimpily dressed dancers (who we later discovered were English) strutted along raised catwalks, gyrating their sumptuous hips and swinging athletically from poles. It was captivating.

Whisky Mist endeavours to provide the best entertainment in town, and the night we visited they certainly succeeded… with none other than Glamazon singer Kelis in the spotlight, performing a short set for the lucky visitors.

Kelis arrived at her table, fashionably (very) late. Reminding ourselves of her successes earlier in the day and swotting up on the lyrics to her songs, we felt like die-hard devoted fans when the time came to welcome her to the club. (If you can’t remember her, she is the one that sings the Milkshake song.) Without a proper stage, she sang from her corner of the club, protected only by a few bodyguards – it was a very intimate gig.

We were treated with unfaultable hospitality throughout our time at the Phoenicia, and Whisky Mist was no different. Our drinks were refreshed and replaced every few minutes, and a meeting with Kelis and the dancers was even arranged for me after the show.

By 3am we were exhausted and ready to escape, instead of the usual tiresome homeward journey we stumbled to the lift and arrived outside our bedroom door seconds later, surreal but utterly brilliant… and certainly a convenience we were thankful for the next morning.

Visit the Whisky Mist Beirut website here.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with bmi, British Midland International. British Midland International flies direct from London Heathrow to Beirut offering ten flights per week. Flights are twice daily on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with a daily service on all other days.  Fares are available from £485 return including all taxes and charges. For more information and to book visit www.flybmi.com

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Carmen, The King’s Head

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The King’s Head is rapidly becoming my favourite fringe venue.  As a pub theatre it works perfectly with the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the front bar leading into the snugly intimate theatre behind.  This company makes full and innovative use of the entire venue, resulting in a production that sits on the cutting edge of the modern classical music scene; this is fringe opera at its finest.

The collaborative effort of director Rodula Gaitanou and librettist Ben Cooper, assisted by input from the actors themselves, has brought about an entirely fresh take on this classic opera.  With the story set in North London and centring round a gang of thieves, the audience could not help but feel very much part of the action.  Christina Gill’s Carmen was at all times technically sound yet emotionally aware; a balance that is difficult to strike for any actor.  Her chemistry with Jose (Christopher Diffey) was a highlight of all the interactions that took place, most notably the opera’s tragic denouement, which left me feeling appropriately uncomfortable.  As a pairing their voices complimented each other splendidly, frequently producing effective moments of raw emotion.  It was the duos that appeared to be the highlight of the show’s casting, as Mercedes (Olivia Barry) and Frasquita (Fleur de Bray) captured a much-needed comic essence.  These ladies really took their chance to shine in their extended duet scene in the second act, receiving an uproarious reception from the audience with their carefully timed gags.

The expansive orchestral score was beautifully reduced to accompaniment by piano and Spanish guitar.  Musical Director Elspeth Wilkes set at the helm playing the piano with remarkable technical skill and sensitivity, which was complimented soothingly by Rosie Hopkins’ fine guitar playing.

OperaUpClose continues to live up to its Whatsonstage and Olivier award billing with this daring production.  This was highbrow opera revitalised by a refreshing reinterpretation at absolutely no cost to the quality of performance.  If this is the direction we are heading in then opera buffs everywhere ought to be very excited indeed.

Continues until 12 May: book tickets here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Mark McCloskey.

Eau de Vie, Phoenicia Hotel, Beirut

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Eau de Vie is very much part of the Phoenicia Hotel and yet has its own character and clientele, this illustrates its strength as a stand alone restaurant. It is located on the top floor of the hotel building and boasts stunning views of the city and a relaxed but smart ambience.

Excited about the prestigious experience, we dressed to impress and spent hours perfecting our outfits… to mark the occasion I even braved stepping out in heels! Arriving during ‘Earth Hour’ we saw the restaurant romantically lit only by candles… a glorious glimmering sight.

Eau de Vie focuses on French cuisine, with chef Rabih Fouany in the kitchen. It was a gastronomic feast, three courses of beautifully constructed food and exemplary service to match.

Joined by our new Lebanese friend, Peggy, we began our meal chatting about our Beirut discoveries thus far. To accompany the fresh bread, we sampled a few cocktails, which seems to be becoming a bit of a bad habit for me. Refreshing and fruity, they were stylish drinks to match the trendy surroundings. Music was provided by various live acts who played and sung while we ate, interweaving through the diners. White wine carefully chosen by the sommelier was brought to suit our food choices, I received a fine Lebanese wine that suited my nutty salad and red meat.

The huge list of starters was very daunting with enough variety to satisfy even the fussiest eater. We chose an assortment of salads to trial: Marine lobster salad, mini tomato tart & wild rocket, Warm toasted goat’s cheese crostini, baby leaf salad, dried apricots & walnut, and Endive salad, pecan and Roquefort vinaigrette. The portions are generous, and the salads in particular lend themselves to sharing. Each dish was fresh with thoughtful mixes of ingredients and well balanced textures. My goat’s cheese salad was delicious, warm and crunchy crostini on a bed of well dressed leaves complimented by the sweet apricots and walnuts.

Our waiters were on standby for any enquiry we might have… I have never experienced quite such attentive service, proved when one guy ran to my rescue with a special oil stains spray… after I managed to flick my greasy fork right onto my new silk Halston Heritage playsuit. Spraying the material efficiently with the magic stuff he saved my dignity and outfit ahead of our big night out.

Previously I have been very disappointed with wagyu meat and I’d stopped believing the guarantees of ‘the best steak you will ever taste’… but at Eau de Vie our waiter promised me their Australian wagyu Tenderloin steak was unmissable and unsurpassable… so I opted for it with Cajun spiced fries. It was unbelievably good, the most tender and wonderfully flavoured meat I have experienced to date. The chips were a little oversalted for me, but very yummy nonetheless, and the peppercorn sauce was the darkest brown hue with an equally deep and rich flavour. It complemented the sensational tones of the marbled meat. My friends tried the Hand carved salmon from the trolley and the Wild seabass grilled fillet, Mediterranean vegetables & sea scallops “Cromesquis”. I tried the seabass and was amazed by the light and unique flavour. The sauce, made with champagne was perfectly seasoned and very moreish. The salmon carved by our table was divinely fresh.

Desserts were delightful, simple and classic with an artistic twist. I greedily picked the trio of crème brulees, miniature dishes with three flavours of the creamy pudding. I guessed them to be vanilla, chocolate and blueberry though with the flavours changing daily it was difficult to be sure. They were delicate and sweet, cold beneath the warm, toasted sugary top, they were perhaps a little thin but had a delicious taste. We also tried the Crunchy chocolate praline with salt caramel and chocolate enrobed vanilla ice cream and the Manjari chocolate fondant with pistachio ice cream and sauce Anglaise, which were both delicious. After our meal we were introduced to some new friends and while listening to the lively singing we drank fresh mint tea and tried the Pain Perdu for which the restaurant is famous… a soft and velvety sponge, a cross between French toast and cake.

With bravura music and magnificent food, Eau de Vie offers reason alone to visit the Phoenicia Hotel. I hope I get the chance to return and sample the rest of the menu… and maybe even get up and sing with the band. We enjoyed an unforgettably vibrant night here and I would recommend this 5 star restaurant to both visitors to Beirut and those who call it home.

Visit the website here for more information and to book.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with bmi, British Midland International. British Midland International flies direct from London Heathrow to Beirut offering ten flights per week. Flights are twice daily on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays with a daily service on all other days.  Fares are available from £485 return including all taxes and charges. For more information and to book visit www.flybmi.com