Friday 28 June 2013

Cocktails at Paramount Soho

I am not suffering from PMT.  Just warning you now.

I wasn't wildly impressed with pay day cocktail club this month for a number of reasons.  Firstly, I spent the day travelling a total of 7 hours to present  at a meeting for half an hour.  Secondly, the stupidly unpredictable weather; glorious sunshine the entire time I'm on a train and then raining when I get back into London in the evening.  It's June.  JUNE.  (A reminder; I am not suffering from PMT).


So I soddenly schlepped into the reception of the Centre Point building for drinks at the Paramount bar (Centre Point, 101-103 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1DD www.paramount.uk.net) and instantly bought down its' cool score.  The place is slick and that's just the reception.  Paramount bar is on the 32nd floor and accessed by a speedy lift once you get past the very glamourous reception staff who has to grant you access to this speedy lift.

When I made the booking I assumed we would get a table.  Alas this was not to be the case.  Booking only allowed you on the guest list and the unreserved tables had already been taken up.  So the 6 of us were awkwardly standing uncomfortably close to the already occupied tables.  If I was starring in Mad Men, maybe posing casually with a cocktail would have looked alright but Don Draper didn't have a big hand bag and limited space around him.

I'll get over that and get to the view.  There is no way I can make this photo look like it was a glorious evening when it wasn't (but I'll pick that up with God) but you can see just what a spectacular view you can get 32 floors up.
 
Cocktails at Paramount Soho

I had a Haiku (12 year old Japanese whisky, Prucia sake, plum liqueur, cranberry & lemon juice & decorated with sesame seeds).  I'll admit I chose this not because of the ingredients but because I have a minor obsession with Japan.  I'm currently reading Memoirs of a Geisha plus I like to write little Haikus.  Plus it's on my 2014 to-go list.

Cocktails at Paramount Soho

My Haiku on my Haiku drink -

Sesame seeds stick
To the lip gloss on my mouth 
Was an OK drink

The other cocktail I had was a Lavender Sky (lavender infused Oxley gin, Crème de fig, sweet Almond, passion fruit puree and lime juice). 

My Haiku on my Lavender Sky ('cos now I'm on a Japanese roll) -

Passion fruit delights
Though where was the lavender
I could not taste it

Cocktails at Paramount Soho

Paramount is well worth a visit despite me moaning about the booking process (I also can't be bothered with getting into the detail of them charging for a drink we didn't have - although they did make it up to us).  It's got a great view, I liked their cocktails which were reasonably-ish priced considering it's location and it's funky (yes, I used the word funky).  I've also been before for food which was luscious so if you can fork out for dinner following drinks, do it.  Unlike us who crowded into a Korean café around the corner for a cheap bibambip. 





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