Thursday 13 December 2012

B@1 Shoreditch Cocktail Bar Review

B@1 Shoreditch Cocktail Bar Review

I have never thought about cocktail bars as a place to meet men, I usually suggest it as a venue to men once they decide they would like to meet me.  Perhaps I should consider this a new hunting ground (should I wish to be a huntress).

I was at B@1, Shoreditch - yay! (348 Old Street, EC1V 9NQ) this week doing some filming.  It's a good place to do it, atmospheric lighting, glamourous looking booths and an extensive cocktail list that relied on good looks and good taste.  What did strike me was how very unShoreditch it seemed, a great place for after work drinks for those who work in offices.  Not off-beat quirky artists I have an impression of in my mind.

Unfortunately / fortunately it was happy hour which meant I had a ridiculous amount of drinks bought for me because it was 2 for 1.  I made the immediate request to have the lychee martini having accepted that I am in love with lychee in cocktails.  Beefeater gin, lychee liqueur and lychee juice.  Sounded like a winning combination.  However it was dangerously potent and I've not yet learnt to appreciate Beefeater gin quite yet (I'm a bit snobbish like that), it wasn't served in the requisit martini glass but rather what looks like half a bowl - turn that upside down and you've got the cutter guide for a child's fringe - and the lychee taste wasn't coming through distinctively.  My friend Sam ordered us a Mintberry, Absolut raspberry vodka, Chambord, raspberry puree, mint, sugar and lemon juice.  She made a much better cocktail choice than me.  I've been a bit put off really sweet cocktails recently but I really enjoyed how refreshing it was and how raspberry and mint made a really good match.  Unfortunately if left for a little too long, it had a tendency to curdle and look extremely unappetising but I few rigurous whisks with the straw sorted that reet out.

I then had a raspberry afternoon tea which unfortunately I didn't take note of the ingredients but it did have ginger beer.  Whilst ginger beer will not be adored by me as much as lychee, I'm really beginning to appreciate the benefits.  I also had 2 more cocktails including a specially made one with Hendricks gin and cucumber (of course) and something else but unfortunately the lychee martini had knocked me hard that I didn't have my bearings to make note.

B@1 is a great bar to meet your girlfriends, get a booth and giggle away.  However I will consider it (and other cocktail bars) as a new way to meet guys.  I guess I better get my flirt on...

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