The Fable Bar - Holborn Viaduct

Let me tell you a story…..

I’m a big fan of bars opened by Drake & Morgan. I instantly fell in love with the décor and cocktails on offer at The Refinery, and was dazzled by the food and cocktails at The Drift Bar, so when I was asked if I would like to try the brunch menu at The Fable Bar I immediately thought “this could look like a romantic gesture” and arranged to pop along to the bar with the other half on a lovely sunny Sunday (she cottoned on that it wasn’t a hopelessly romantic gesture very quickly!). 

Based in Farringdon just on the outskirts of the city, The Fable bar sits over three floors and is situation right next to the stunning Holborn Viaduct. Every Drake & Morgan establishment has a theme, and at The Fable Bar it is literary - there are famous quotations everywhere you look, a cool booth made out of stacked books and on the second floor an enormous bookcase. 

This is what Drake & Morgan say about the bar…..

"Once upon a time in a land far, far away The Fable Bar was created for the Drake & Morgan collection. 

Inspired by the fantasy world of fairy tales, the fabulous fables of Aesop & influences from around the globe, it is a bar & restaurant out of the ordinary, where every detail tells a story. A veritable jewel box brimming with unexpected surprises, The Fable offers seasonal food & sensational cocktails alongside bespoke events, fascinating masterclasses & unique customised experiences.

From a writing desk complete with vintage typewriter to the wine shop & florist, ‘Bottles & Blooms’ & the library lined with leather bound story books sourced from vintage markets across the country, expect to be entranced & enthralled".

When we arrived the bar was quite quiet (something I like, so I can hear what people are saying) and the music was at just the right level - after being seated I opted to start with green tea before moving onto a cheeky cocktail, opting for an original Mojito while Rachel went with a passion fruit Mojito. Both were stunning (as I have come to expect from D&M), mine was packed with mint and it packed a punch, they certainly hadn’t been shy with the rum! Now that’s a way to start the day!

The food menu is awesome and there really is something for everyone, but after taking a peek at the menu online before setting off I knew what I was going to be having, and I plumped for the salt and pepper calamari/squid for a starter and the roast beef for my main.

The squid was crispy and well cooked - with a touch of lemon to season the rich batter this had me worried that I would be able to finish my main. The plate was rammed, and as a nice touch there were tentacles so like a child I could wave them in Rachel’s face while making strange noises. It’s the little things that amuse me!

Rachel’s starter looked amazing - she went for a scotch egg with piccalilli. She said that the egg was perfectly cooked and perfectly runny and the piccalilli was spicy enough not to overpower and dominate the taste, but give enough kick that there was a gentle heat. There you go (ripped off directly from her thoughts on brunch).   

For her main she went with a Wagyu Burger served with a blue cheese dressing with a rich tomato chutney. The burger also came with a portion of Cowboy fries which are drizzled in honey, chilli and garlic. I didn‘t like the sound of these but only managed to get to try one before she demolished them. 

As my dish was served my first thoughts were “where’s the beef”, it looked like a bit of a tight fisted portion at first, but then all of the other components of the dish arrived and I immediately thought “oh, sh*t, how am I going to eat all of this”.

The beef was actually just the right amount and cooked to perfection - mine was slightly rare and tender. It was easy to cut, not a hint of sinew and it just melted in the mouth. The vegetables were crunchy, the gravy lovely and rich. Everything had a full flavour and these blended with the honey coating on the carrots to create an absolute taste sensation. I have to confess, I couldn’t eat it all and even worse, I was so stuffed I couldn’t fit in one of the awesome sounding puddings. Instead I went for a pudding cocktail! 

Rachel went with a Tipsy Affogato with vanilla ice-cream, Amaretto and Kahula with a side helping of espresso while I had a Raspberry ripple which is a mixture of Johnny Walker Black, Drambuie and Honey Liquor was topped off with Raspberries and Cream. Holy Jesus! This starts off as a nice creamy number before boom - the Johnny Walker is almost hidden until the end, and as you work your way through you hit a bed of raspberries - it’s sweet, then strong, then sweet again, all topped off with rich cream. It is like a course in itself! 

The food and cocktails at The Fable Bar are out of this world - I have been back since and can’t get enough of those pudding cocktails. This is the perfect place to drop in and read a book over a pint, come for dinner in the evening or just for a bite to eat during the day. It’s clean, the staff are incredibly friendly and the dishes are reasonably priced while the meat is sourced from local butchers. 

The Fable Bar has everything.

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Scarlet's - Covent Garden's Sassy Sister

Yep it’s a tough job to be sampling cocktails on a Monday night but someone’s got to do it.  Yes the worst school night of the week (Sundays don’t count being technically still the weekend) saw @Bromley_Boozer and @BeautykingUK hit newly opened Scarlet’s in Covent Garden. You might have guessed it from the lack of action on this blog recently but Stephen is busy being worn out by a new job, therefore, this post has been turned over to me (he still wouldn‘t give me the password for the blog to post it myself though - I think he is scared I will pull a prank like broadcast that he is secretly in with love with RS - a private joke).

As this place is pretty easy to find being only 2 minutes walk from Leicester Square tube station, the customary arguing over directions/maps didn’t take long. Stephen was so visibly disappointed that I had been able to get us there so easily he suggested a walk around to “kill some time” but I had spotted his cunning plan to get us lost so he could claim an epic fail and overruled him.

Once inside we were warmly welcomed by staff and secured a table by the window which proved to be an ideal people watching spot.  Well I say people watching but really this is code for a Stephen appraisal of the fashion sense/physical attributes of more or less every single passer-by (I‘ve also heard his management appraisals follow the same theme).  It’s not even slightly annoying….

Getting back to the purpose of the visit though the food and cocktails menus are impressive, the cocktails one being so extensive it’s actually a book. First choice for me had to be the rhubarb and  raspberry martini and it was easily the nicest cocktail I’ve had all year.  It tasted as fresh as if the edible flower on top had just that second been picked. It’s made with the French liqueur Chambord which I love because the bottle reminds me of vintage perfume bottles, and Chase rhubarb vodka. 

Stephen had a Gincello which also looked pretty, in fact when I suggested this might be a bit too girly for his big touch macho image (he thinks) he responded with “I’m going to <expletive deleted> drink it not <expletive deleted> it”.  The smug expression on his face indicated he liked the blend of gin, limencello, and fruit juice topped with prosecco.  

Drinking on an empty stomach can lead to trouble so it was time for food with Stephen choosing an appetizer of chicken skewers with peanut butter, coconut, lemongrass and green chilli.  It wasn’t around for long and in an unprecedented healthy move even ate the watercress that it came with.

His 8oz British beef burger on a toasted brioche bun with Isle of Mull cheese and smoked bacon was a surprising success.  This is because he had constantly looked across to the Five Guys across the road muttering that nothing could be as good as their burgers.  In the end though he had to admit that he enjoyed it and the bacon was crispier on his Scarlet’s burger so disaster was averted.  

My kale, radish, mango, walnut & ricotta salad was an interesting blend of flavours, was fresh and light and was perfectly accompanied by my glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which I can (and do) drink by the bottle (Stephen would probably insert ‘more like from the bottle‘). 

The butternut squash & spinach risotto that followed was well seasoned, not too heavy or sticky and such a generous portion that it couldn’t be finished. There was just about room for a pudding of grilled figs with honey crème fraiche that was a welcome and refreshing end to a lovely meal.

Scarlet’s really is that rare thing in central London, affordable, good quality, friendly and fun.  We’re going back as I am dying to try the pornstar martini sharer cocktail. I just think it would be the perfect end to a stressful day at the office followed by some dancing downstairs (they’re open until 3am). Just maybe not on a school night….

RECOMMENDED

Scarlet’s
Upper St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9NY

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The Drift - Bishopsgate, London

Today we have a joint post with @Bromley_Boozer - we had an agreement, I would write about the food and she would stick to her comfort zone of writing about the drinks we imbibed whilst at The Drift, a surprisingly large bar split over two levels located at the base of The Heron Tower, on Bishopsgate in the City of London.

You can’t really miss The Heron Tower, it’s massive and this is why I was happy to laugh in the face of directions from Mrs Boozer and take massive offence that she had brought a map. After fifteen minutes of looking aimlessly around Bishopsgate it dawned on us that we were walking in the wrong direction, a swift about turn and we finally arrived. It should be easy to find, you don’t need the map reading skills of a special forces officer, no, if anything, the struggle to find it speaks volumes about our sense of direction (think dead homing pigeon).

So, on with the important bits.

What drift bar says…

‘Escape to a bar & restaurant that wants you to stay, linger, explore & quite simply drift… a sanctuary in the heart of the city, the drift brims with quirky collectibles, hidden alcoves, a mixology table & fine dining nook, whilst offering delights such as a flambe menu, seasonal menu & innovative cocktails.

‘Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner & drinks, the drift can meet your needs any time of the day. quirky cocktails & a wide selection of wines sit alongside a carefully crafted seasonal menu, whilst music & a late license until the early hours on Thursday & Friday make the drift the perfect place to start & end the party.’

The Drinks

When Beautyking invited me for dinner at Drift Bar (all his real friends were busy) the first thing I did was peek at the online drinks menu, in particular cocktails.  And not only did the cocktails look outstanding the menu quoted Alice in Wonderland “You’re entirely bonkers, but I tell you what….all the best people are.” And as everyone knows that the best people are most definitely the bonkers ones I couldn’t wait to get there.

First up was a Skinny Russian Rose Martini with Smirnoff Black vodka, leeches liqueur and ginger syrup, garnished with a rose petal.  Not only did it look pretty with its flower, it also weirdly tasted pretty, sort of perfumed but in a nice way.  As an added bonus you won’t be piling on the pounds as it’s listed as only containing 80 calories. What more reason do you need to have at least a few more? 

Beautyking’s Mojito of choice was a mango one (he could have chosen mint classic, strawberry & lavender, passion fruit or kumquat).  And from the sneaky bit that I drank whilst he wasn’t looking it was tangy with the fresh mint working well with the sweet mango.  One to try at home for a summer BBQ, if I can eat enough jam to collect the jars to serve them in.

My Tiramisu Martini was listed as a pudding cocktail and I’m certain that I’ve never drunk a cocktail with mascarpone in it before.  And I’ve drunk a lot of cocktails. I’m not sure you could  taste it though, as the overwhelming flavour was of coffee and gingerbread. It was delicious though and worth the chocolate powder moustache that is every cappuccino drinker at work’s worst nightmare.

Beautyking’s pudding cocktail was a cranberry brulee (Tanqueray gin, cranberry sauce, egg white, sugar, lemon & a dash of danger) and almost looked too weird to drink.  A tiny sieve was balanced in the drink with the egg white bit, leaving the cranberry cocktail underneath. I’m not sure what the dash of danger ingredient was though but it has an incredibly sweet taste and as someone who doesn‘t like Cranberries, Beautyking was adamant in between sips that this was a taste sensation. 

The Food

The nicest thing for me was the unhurried service we received, while Mrs Boozer got slightly irritated by the wait I actually liked the five to ten minutes we were given to soak up the atmosphere, have a look around, do a spot of people watching and get an all around feel for the place. 

The menu was impressive, I knew what I wanted weeks before I arrived. In fact, when approached and asked if we would like to go along the first thing I did was identify a meat dish that would knock years off my life (joke) it was so large and make up for the fact that I would be dining with a vegetarian (another joke). Step forward Reef & beef, but you’ll have to wait as the starters simply had me drooling.

I opted to start with Great British Bloody Mary mussels. First of all, the presentation, stunning, the aroma, out of this world, the taste, oh my god, it was like an orgy in my mouth (phrase probably copyright of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy). The mussels were cooked to perfection and almost melted in the mouth.

Rather than a fishy taste, the mussels blended with the thick rich tomato sauce to add an edge of bitterness that made this a match made in heaven. 

The portion size was superb, not too much but just enough to take the edge off my grumbling stomach. 

Mrs Boozer opted for roasted Portobello mushrooms and Taleggio cheese on bruschetta and with the speed with which they were demolished they must have been good! 

So, onto meat overload, the Reef & Beef, half a lobster, and a 4oz steak with onion rings and a plant pot full of chipped potatoes. I shamed myself, I couldn’t finish it all, I was stuffed by the time I had finished this to the point where a) I couldn’t have a dessert, and b) had to force down my drinks. Satisfied would be an understatement at this point.

Once again, the presentation did nothing to let down the dishes, they looked amazing, I was provided with the right tools to attack the lobster (although I did fear that I would take out those at nearby tables with bits of lobster shrapnel once I started cracking the claw) and the steak was cooked to perfection and as I had ordered - medium rare. 

Needless to say, the meat was tender, just hot enough and bloody in the middle. I broke out into the mental meat sweats in my head, and that is a sign that I’m really enjoying it. The lobster again melted in the mouth. When it first arrived I thought that it was tiny but looks can be deceptive, any larger and I would have had to have left it.

The onion rings were crispy, the batter light and fluffy. Normally onion rings can lack taste but not these, packed with onion I was hooked. Indeed, the chipped potatoes (chips to you and me) were also really tasty and I kept reaching for more until I physically couldn’t force any more down my throat. 

Mrs Boozer went for an Halloumi & hummus burger with red pepper, roast mushroom & tomato chutney. Strangely enough this looked really nice. There was a huge, thick slice of halloumi and the aroma had even me feeling as I though I could wolf my way through it in seconds. Needless to say, she was satisfied with the burger and even managed to eat more chips than me (the plant pots conceal what appears to be a bottomless pit of chips).

With both of my dishes coming in at well under £30 in total and Mrs Boozer’s at £15 this really was great value for money. 

The bars on both levels are wide and open, and it does have those little nooks with seats to get away from the crowds. I liked the interior, it was peaceful and the LED lights in the wall had me thinking my drinks had been spiked until I realised that they were slowly flashing! 

I enjoyed what was a very civilised Tuesday night in the City. The bar was busy and I can imagine it gets packed on a Thursday and Friday. That said, it has that much space, two long bars and a great location. Combine this with the out of this world cocktails and lovely food and you do have an affordable bolt-hole to drink, eat or just be merry in the heart of the financial district. 

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The Refinery - Regent's Place

It’s Wednesday, what better time to plan what you will be doing this weekend (or tonight if your week is going that badly). To assist you with your preparation, today’s post has been written by my good friend, the Bromley Boozer…..

A very refined experience

When such a stylish invitation arrived in the post, rather than just an email, with an invitation to check out The Refinery, a new bar in Euston, central London I was pretty excited to go. 

Finding it should have been no problem, after all it’s five minute walk from Euston station and about five other tube stations. However in my rush to leave work I forgot to do a quick check on the exact location.  

So after a quick meet-up drink in a nearby pub I consulted with my companion BeautyKingUK.  Google maps weren’t working properly on my phone so after deciding not to ask a policeman for directions (he was making an arrest at the time so seemed a bit busy) and rejecting Stephen’s advice to go into Euston station and look for a map on the wall (very 1980s) we did finally stumble across it more through luck than any form of judgement whatsoever.

When we arrived my first thought was that it wasn’t what I was expecting. Given the name The Refinery I expected something more industrial like a processing plant or something but maybe that’s just me and I was thinking of an oil refinery. Anyway it’s actually a large ground floor space of what looks like a new office block and has a real wow factor with huge floor to ceiling windows and endless rows of bottles of spirits and wines visible from the outside.  There’s tons of outdoor seating which will be great for warmer weather. And on our visit they had thoughtfully provided hot water bottles.  Unfortunately I think I will be prevented from including a picture of Stephen hugging a hot water bottle outside in the cold pulling funny faces (the unfair power of the editor).

Yes, yes you will be prevented from including that picture!

In true Beautykinguk style (see I do read the blog really) – here’s is what the marketing people say about The Refinery:

‘Scandinavian style runs throughout the one-floored wonder with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, polished natural timbers, reclaimed flooring and antique copper accents. Discerning drinkers are invited to sink into a lowslung leather chair or sofa, draped as they are with faux furs and hides, or prop up the chunky statement bar built from stacked oak sleepers for the best seat in the house.

Diners, meanwhile, can choose from high or low tables, with plenty of spaces to eat and relax for singles, couples and group get-togethers. Snag a spot at the marble-clad counter and watch all the theatre of the open-plan kitchen as you dine. And as we ebb towards spring, the large outdoor terrace will really come into its own, furnished with lush potted plants, warm blankets and outdoor heaters for when day turns to dark.’

Once inside the place was buzzing and within thirty seconds we had our first cocktail in our hands  -  a Juniper Garden (containing Tanqueray Gin, Aperol, coriander & juniper syrup and cucumber) was refreshing and certainly tasted fresh. The cucumber swizzle stick reminded me of the celery stick you get with a Bloody Mary.

A Juniper Garden

Next up was a Prince Regent with lemon-infused Snow Queen vodka, lychee liquor, grapefruit juice and Prosecco. This was my favourite as I pretty much love any cocktail with vodka in it and Snow Queen is my next favourite brand after Grey Goose.  The combination of lychee and grapefruit worked well and stopped it from being either too sharp (the grapefruit) or too sweet (the lychee). 

The Brit Spritzes with their edible flowers next to Prince Regents

Finally a Brit Spritz.  This one won the prize for the prettiest cocktail I’ve ever seen – all complete with edible flowers in the top. Well they said they were edible but there were canapes so I wasn’t that hungry for flowers.  

You can see what they did with the name of the cocktail here using Chapel Down Brut sparkling wine from Kent, elderflower cordial and Kamm & Sons.  

Having never heard of that last ingredient I looked them up and it turns out they are a British aperitif made from a secret family recipe with no less than 45 natural botanicals including all kinds of weird things like nuts, peels, roots and leaves. Pretty interesting actually and you can read more about them here - imagine a bottle is not cheap though if it’s that complicated to make.

Time flew and it was soon time to go – sadly you can’t drink cocktails all night and fully appreciate the flavour; let alone walk in a straight line.  

I had a lovely time and this would be a great place to meet up with friends after work as it’s so central.  

There’s a massive menu too so I’m keen to go back and try the food soon. There are pudding cocktails on the menu (e.g. a Tirimasu martini) and that alone has got to be reason enough to go back!

The Refinery

5 Brock Street

Regent’s Place

NW1 3FG

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The Maze Inn - Cocktails

Update January 2016 - sadly The Maze Inn has closed down and I'm at a loss as to where I can get a good cocktail in North London now.

It may be Thursday but if you haven't already been planning where you should be imbibing drinks this weekend (what have you been doing Monday - Wednesday?!?) I have a place you could try, and for the first time ever you are treated to a joint post. While my friend, Bailey (a.k.a The Bromley Boozer) and expert in all things cocktail and alcohol related has jotted down the bones of this post I have added to it slightly to avoid being barred from one of my local drinking establishments - I am talking about Maze Inn, a bar located next to the London Underground station in Southgate, Enfield. 

Turn the lights down low - on a Friday & Saturday the bar is quite atmospheric

So, on with the show. 

At 2 am on a Friday or Saturday night (it’s open till 3 am) you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who cares much about the quality of the drinks at the Maze Inn; only that it’s still serving them long after everywhere else nearby has called last orders (and yes both I and Bailey have been guilty of this a few times). 

The fact that Southgate, located just a few stops from the end of the Piccadilly Line probably isn’t many people’s idea of a top quality cocktail destination is a problem for the venue. In an area lacking places with a touch of class (glass in the door windows) to drink in, Maze Inn stands out. 

I'm not really this pale, the flash on the camera was set to 'burn retinas'

It has a relatively nice heated outdoor seating area to the front and while I (Stephen) think the interior is quirky and slightly moody with the absence of bright light, Bailey thinks different. As I may be slightly bias knowing what used to be there before Maze Inn opened I have left the descriptions of the interior design to her. 

Anyway, without wandering off topic too much, we’ll continue! On our specially timed early evening visit to sample the cocktails a couple of weeks ago we sauntered in, searching and needing a stiff drink. 

Maze Inn is a bar that turns into a nightclub on a Friday and Saturday night. It doesn’t particularly get busy and it’s the kind of place you can do and have a nice drink if you don’t want to be hassled, jostled or bumped around a city centre bar or local boozer. 

Every bar or restaurant needs a concept these days – whether it’s playing poker to set the price of your dinner, playing with cats with your cup of coffee or serving nothing but bowls of cereal. And Maze Inn used to have a concept. Sort of (about five years ago).  But sadly there is now no sign of the legendary Happy Hour machine where a press of a giant button on the bar brought the random chance of a buy one, get one free or some other money-saving deal on the price of drinks.  If the owners are reading this – we want it back and we want it back now.

Now for Bailey’s description of the interior (as there are photos I’m not sure why she insisted on this section). The décor won’t win any prizes for originality.  The throne style chairs that David and Victoria Beckham got married in seem to have been the inspiration, along with plenty of red pleather and chandeliers bought in bulk from Homebase.  But if you want a fashionable place then go hang out in Shoreditch or Deptford or wherever the cool kids go.                                
The cocktail menu isn’t massive but size isn’t everything and it does have some interesting options.  At £7.50 each they are pretty good value and would certainly be double that if served in central rather than on the edge of London.

I unimaginatively chose a Long Island Iced Tea (vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec and coke).  I have these every time I go to Maze Inn as they are the best I have ever tasted. Not just the best in London, the best in the world - they even beat the ones from Las Vegas where a bartender tried to kill my liver with one drink.

Bailey always goes for a vodka martini because they use her favourite Grey Goose vodka and take the time to chill the glass first by filling it with ice.  Because there are no mixers in a vodka martini it has to be good vodka or you just don’t get a smooth enough drink.  Being pure spirits (just vodka and vermouth) it’s a drink for sipping slowly whilst enjoying pleasant surroundings and good conversation.  And at the Maze Inn at least you get the pleasant surroundings…..(that is Bailey’s attempt at humour).

On the advice of the friendly barman Darnell, Bailey chose a Hurricane (a blend of rums, orange, pineapple and over-proof rum) and it was strong.  Any drink made with Wray and Nephew Overproof rum (ABV 63%) is going to pack a punch; apparently it accounts for more than 90% of all  rum sold in Jamaica!  

Darnell mixing our drinks - he knows his stuff

The problem was that the fruity taste masked the potency and it wasn’t long before Bailey was grateful that the seats at the bar were the chair types with backs on them.

Our next drink was ordered ‘off-menu’ (if it’s good enough for celebrities it’s good enough for us). Darnell concocted something that he likes to drink himself – from memory (hazy memory) I think it was rum-based with blackberry juice, nutmeg and cane sugar.   I liked it a lot – I just wished that I was drinking it on a Caribbean beach rather than sub-zero Southgate in January.

Deciding that we weren’t sober enough to appreciate any more cocktails we called it a night until our next visit: maybe there won’t even be a Long Island Iced Tea ordered too. Now that really would be a Maze-inn (groan).

RECOMMENDED

The Maze Inn
7 Chase Side, Southgate N14 5BP
www.mazeinn.co.uk

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BYOC Camden - A 1920s speakeasy without the hangovers...

Back in October my trusty drinking sidekick and I ventured out one wet Thursday evening to try a new cocktail bar. I have been meaning to write this up for some time, but as she has a better knowledge of dive bars and drinking establishments on the sound side (that will be you America) of the Atlantic she beat me to the punch and has written up her thoughts already.

For this guest post, I say thank you Bailey, I'm just staggered she could remember enough of the night! What is weird is that she has also written with the voices in her head in brackets - I worry for her sanity at times....

Bailey's thoughts on BYOC Camden

Calling itself 'an escape from the modern world' BYOC (Bring Your Own Cocktail) Camden is a basement cocktail bar in Camden High Street with a 1920s theme. What makes it different from other cocktail bars is its concept that you book a two hour slot, pay £25 and bring along a bottle of your favourite spirit and the expert bartenders create unlimited cocktails with said bottle of spirits.

So should you bother booking ahead and going to the trouble of taking a bottle of spirits out with you? On the evidence of our visit in October, not long after their opening, the answer is a definite yes. Clearly styled on a Prohibition era USA illegal drinking den, it pretty much nails that seedy but sexy vibe without venturing into theme park territory.

Following a trend originating in New York for speakeasy style bars that are deliberately hard to find, we failed at first, ringing the doorbell of a clearly annoyed flat resident nearby but eventually locating the unmarked entrance door.  So not exactly on the scale of a phone box in a fast food joint (hello PDT, New York, still attracting Japanese tourists 10 years after it was fashionable), but still adding to the exclusive feel.

Money and training has obviously gone on getting together a crew of bartenders who are knowledgeable but without the pretension that can sometimes come with the job at certain fashionable bars where the wealthy hang out.  The staff are friendly and take the time to ask about your preferences so that they can craft the drinks to suit individual tastes.  The only problem comes that after a couple of the delicious but strong drinks it can be a challenge to stay on your stool, let alone remember the name of your cocktail and its ingredients.

A vast array of fresh herbs, syrups, mixers and unusual ingredients are visible and on offer, we were most impressed by a home made pepper marmalade stuff that came in a jar which the barman was happy to give us a taste of. These are drinks that don't compare with ones that you could ever make at home, although you can pick up tips and advice. What they did promise at the start of the night was no hangovers and hey presto, the morning after, and even after a considerable amount we both felt fit as fiddle - Stephen did however look better!

Dive bars are great but usually the darkness is to hide the dirty toilets and sell by date on the crisps; at BYOC the low-level lighting makes the customers look more attractive and the cocktails less lethal.  And that can only be a great thing. The bars themselves are poker and blackjack tables, adding to the feeling that you're in Vegas not Camden.

So not the place to drop in for a quick drink on a whim, but if you want great cocktails and a great time this place can't be beaten.  If you can find it that is!   

9-11, Basement Camden High Street North London

Website: www.byoc.co.uk/camden

Beautykinguk's recommended spirits to take to BYoC Camden are:

• Hendricks Gin
• Grey Goose Vodka
• Johnny Walker Black Label

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