Tag Archives: cocktail

Mr Fogg’s, Mayfair

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Whimsical and wacky, Mr Fogg’s in Mayfair has all the makings of a great bar. It certainly doesn’t conform to the classic standards of its neighbours!

Based on the wild adventures of the eccentric Phileas Fogg, the bar is decorated with dusty books, vintage globes and intriguing artefacts. Hidden behind an unassuming black door, the secrecy of the place makes the interior all the more wonderful when you step inside. The soundtrack, designed by DJ and music guru Rob Wood and his company at Music Concierge, helps set the scene.

A huge bar holds hundreds of glowing bottles of spirits and liquors, all waiting for their turn off the shelf. The menu is long and rather laborious to search through. After explaining our preferences, we let our waiter choose us suitable drinks.

The drinks are well mixed, and attractively presented with raspberries and cucumber slivers. I fail to recall the names, and I wasn’t allowed to keep a menu. I do remember however, mine was a little too sickly sweet but my friend’s had a refreshing citrus kick. The bill amounted to £30 which for just two drinks is definitely too steep for the good but not spectacular drinks. If you are going for the experience Mr Fogg’s is a fun bet, but for the best cocktails save some money and wander into Soho or Marylebone where the real mixologists are at work.

More information here: mr-foggs.com

LAB cocktail bar, Soho

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The London Academy of Bartenders (LAB) don’t make things easy for themselves, with a list of 100 drinks to master there is plenty of room for error, and yet the glasses we tried were immaculately executed and intriguingly tasty.

This little Soho cocktail den is found in the shadows of Old Compton Street, illuminated only by the neon glow of the nearby peep shows. Boasting a wealth of experience and a team of the very best mixologists, the fluid creations here are sometimes classic and sometimes experimental.

Seated near the bar we could see all the action as coloured bottles were swiped from the shelves and employed methodically in different glasses, ready for each customer. The most memorable drink from the evening was the Burnt Breakfast Martini, a genius concoction from the ‘Clever Stuff’ section of the menu. An elegant combination of Beefeater Gin, fresh lemon, orange marmalade and pink grapefruit, shaken with a splash of Aperol and egg white and given the final touch with a flamed vanilla brûlée top. It was a creative and pretty drink – an interesting contrast of tangy fruity martini with a delicious creamy top to soften the taste.

Keen to display the wackier skills he possessed, the barman mixed up a Leftfield for us. A quirky cocktail with Sipsmith Gin stirred with elderflower cordial, a splash of dry vermouth and dark balsamic vinegar then dressed with pickled onions. This was a slightly odd assortment of flavours, strong and aromatic with a kick from the vinegar and onions, which we couldn’t quite stomach.

LAB is an asset to the Soho bar scene… just as fun and fabulous as the surrounding camp hang-outs but with an array of expertly mixed cocktails to match.

The award-winning LAB team also offer cocktail classes for wannabe connoisseurs. Learn from the best of the industry how to make a variety of drinks using styles and methods from classic to contemporary.

More information here.

http://www.labbaruk.com/

Cocktails at Archer Street, Soho

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Archer Street Bar has often been recommended to me as a fine cocktail establishment, and though I spend a lot of time in Soho, I hadn’t previously come across it. On a Wednesday evening, the place was unexpectedly busy, loud and rather too dark for my comfort. The raucous midweek crowd had clearly all come to Archer Street to let off steam.

The cocktail menu is not long nor overcomplicated. Indeed at first sight, the choices look limited, but after a quick chat with the exuberant waitress in a spotty dress, the cocktails to go for became glaringly obvious.

Cherry Cherry Bang Bang – Miller’s Gin shaken with Cherry Heering, Orgeat, fresh lime and egg white, £10.50

Art Pop – Amaretto, Southern Comfort and cranberry juice, shaken with fresh lime and pineapple, £11

Miss Saigon – Ketle One vodka, rose liqueur and lychee juice, shaken with fresh lemon and Earl Grey syrup, £11

Some Like It Hot – Jose Cuervo tradicional shaken with passionfruit, red chillies and vanilla sugar, £11

For me, the Art Pop was the winner by far: a sweet but balanced short cocktail with a lovely mix of ingredients. Some Like It Hot was surprisingly tasty, despite the presence of chilli. Cherry Cherry Bang Bang was a fruity refreshing drink and Miss Saigon a failsafe for those not keen on super-strong concoctions.

Along with the piled-high cheeseboard, for a few pre-dinner drinks Archer Street is the ideal venue, especially suitable for cocktail connoisseurs; but if you’re looking for a quiet place to catch up with friends, other Soho venues would suit the occasion better.

More information here.

archerstreet.co.uk