7th Mar 2015 - Peony at Opium, Chinatown, London

Approx 6pm - 9pm

Peonny at Opium

The Jade Door, 15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London, W1D 6JE

http://www.peonychinatown.com

Before I even start, I am going to struggle to do this bar justice - the drinks, brilliant. The service, unbeatable. The atmosphere, top-notch. I can't big this place up enough.

We arrived at around 6pm and were the first people in there. To get into Peony, you have to first gain access to Opium, and Peony is located further into this maze of bars. Booking is integral, as it seems to be a very popular place.

The decor in here is beautiful - oriental themed throughout, and very cosy. The bar was stacked with unusual drinks, and the walls were adorned with pretty little teapots (one of which we used that night). A little pot of alcohol was steaming away at the bar, which made the place smell delicious, and gave the impression of being in an authentic, Chinese, back-alley bar.

To really get the best experience in this place, try to sit at the bar. It was great to be up close to the action, and the bartender kept us entertained all night - thanks Rasa!

The cocktails were expertly concocted. The cocktail menu is quite small, but they are all interesting and unique. You could choose to go with a single cocktail, or go with a teapot for 2 or 4 people, which was a great touch.

I chose to go with a Golden Sazerac, which was strong and delicious. The orange and lemongrass smoke was an excellent touch to a well-constructed cocktail. I also sampled some of the Peony Punch teapot, which was very interesting - the coconut flavour really came through well, and it was very easy to drink, and fun to share. You also got to choose your own teapot from the wall to have it served in!

Rasa was an extremely capable cocktail-maker, and was more than happy to mix us up a few cocktails which weren't on the menu to suit our tastes. The ones she made for us were all top-notch, but don't ask me what was in them because by this point I was on the tipsy side, and my memory from this point is pretty skewed...

...I remember that this one had a chili kick to it, but only as a hint in the aftertaste. Very well done.

...and this one really was right up my alley. Made with Mescal, it had a distinct and smokey flavour, and a creamy consistency. One of my favourite ever cocktails!

Whilst you're here, it's also worth trying the Dim Sum. Some of the flavours were really amazing and a bit different, and it was instant comfort food. We went for 3 different types; King Prawn Dumplings, Mushroom and Truffle dumplings, and the Pork and Samphire Dumplings (these were my favourite). They all went down very well, and were brought out in quick time.

In conclusion, probably the best cocktail bar ever - I was actually sad to leave. I'll be back soon, I promise!

ThymeTip: To guarantee a great night, sit at the bar for great service and great banter.

Food: 8/10

Drink: 10/10

Service: 10/10

Fun-ness: 10/10

28th Feb 2015: Basement Sate, Soho, London UK

Approx 7pm - 8pm
Basement Sate

8 Broadwick Street, London W1F

http://www.basementsate.com

After visiting Milk and Honey and failing to get in (if you wish to visit there, be sure to book before 6pm on the day), the bouncer advised us that there is 'a cocktail bar on the next street, number 8, with a red door'. I asked what the name was, and he said that it doesn't have a sign - sounds like my kinda sneaky-secret-speakeasy kinda place!

We made our way there, and came across the red door on number 8 Broadwick Street. The door was open, and we went in, down the stairs, and into the dimly lit cocktail bar. 

The bar area was very nice - it has the typical wooden theme that is seen so much at the moment, with a wide variety of alcohols on the wall. The bar at this early hour was quite empty, so we had the pick of seats. We chose a Chesterfield style couch with its own table which looked out over pretty much the whole place, and it was very comfortable.

The cocktail menu was good, with a decent range of flavours. The one thing it was missing was the weird and wonderful ingredients that I am so fond of, but there were still plenty of other flavours to experiment with. 

We had 4 cocktails between us, and they were all quite nice, if not a bit fruity for my palette. If you are a fan of a mojito, or a daiquiri then these cocktails will be up your alley. My favourite cocktail of the night was the Timeless Crusta, and if you're one for a more unusual tasting drink then this is the one to go for. The list of cocktails we had are:

Don't Acte: Sichuan pepper infused gin, Bubonnet, Lemon Juice (not as spicy as it sounds, but very fruity)

Workinonit: Vodka, Moscato D'Asti syrup, cucumber, Yellow Chartreuse (refreshing)

Shikoku Calling: Gin, Yuzu, Fino Sherry (my second favourite of the evening)

Timeless Crusta: Cognac, Green Chartreuse, Triple Sec, Luxardo Maraschino (Best cocktail of the night - bitter and woody and super tasty!)

If you've been for a meal out and fancy eating dessert elsewhere, this is a good place to go. The  dessert menu was extensive, and everything on there sounded delicious. As I lack the sweet tooth I didn't go for one, but my boyfriend couldn't resist the Orangette, which looked a bit like a crumble and consisted of orange and caramel cream, black trumpet crumble, chocolate and lavender foam, and a honey crisp. He loved it, and wants to try the rest of the dessert menu.

Whilst I was sitting there I felt like there was something missing from the whole experience, and after a while it came to me... on the walls there were zero pictures, images, figurines, weird deer heads... anything! It looked quite sparse, and that made it feel a little chain-pub-y. The wallpaper also could have been put up a little better, but a few pics here and there would hide that!

This would be a good place to go with friends, but from what I hear it does get quite busy in the evenings and booking is recommended (booking can only be done by email - the address being on their website).

The service is fast and friendly, and they seemed very willing to help.

I'd definitely go again, and it was a nice place, but I think they need to step up a gear in the cocktail variety and decor department to match up to some of the most established cocktail bars in the London area.

ThymeTip: Save room for pudding!

Food: 7/10

Drink: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Fun-ness: 7/10