The Crackberry Times » By Location

Amuse Bouche

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:23:49 +0000

Amuse Bouche is the little black dress of drinking, and the Soho site is a recent expansion of the champagne bar format from their Parson’s Green outpost. The place is date-tastic, though just as familiar clientele are sophisticated girls nights out; boys looking for the aforementioned patrons or in touch with their metrosexual side shouldn’t be put off. Best of all, drinks here are really very reasonable, with the house bottle starting at just £22, and 2-for-1 bellinis all night Mondays and Tuesdays.

21-22 Poland Street, Soho, W1F 8QG. Tel: 020 7287 1661. Web: www.abcb.co.uk

The Churchill Arms

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:20:28 +0000

A real mix of styles, The Churchill Arms is a winning combination of local boozer and humble Thai eatery. Found enshrouded in a constellation of hanging baskets that burst with flowers in the summer months, once you step inside you’ll be faced with what appears to be the archetypal Old Man Pub, compete with murky carpet and sticky beer mats. However, push further in to the right of the bar you’ll reach another mini jungle of hanging flora where they serve earnestly good Thai food at amazingly low prices. What makes this place is that it’s everything you want, without any frills. The beer is on tap and the carrots aren’t carved into roses; the dishes are filling and there’s a distinct lack of incense.

119 Kensington Church St., Kensington, W8 7LN. Tel: 020 7727 4242

Annex 3

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:19:53 +0000

A stylish haunt tucked away along Little Portland St. There is no way that the combination of colours, materials and styles found within Annex 3 should fuse together into anything remotely tasteful. Somehow though, the odd 60s wallpaper, glittering panelled walls and miniature merry-go-round have been put together with a camp psychedelic flair that makes the place distinctly classy. And whilst the décor is impressive, the best thing about this place is the cocktails. Look hard enough in the menu and you’ll find cocktails to share served from goldfish bowls that ooze intimacy and romance. First date perfect. Worth booking.

6 Little Portland St., London, W1W 7JE. Tel: 020 7631 0700

Favela Chic

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:18:24 +0000

You never know quite what might happen in Favela Chic, ostensibly a vivacious pseudo Brazilian bar. Generally there’s a friendly crowd bopping along to a mix of salsa and meringue, but next thing you know the DJ has seamlessly mixed into Springtime for Hitler, and one of the staff is goose stepping down the bar… Recently their midweek Swap-a-Rama Razzmatazz nights (where you exchange an item of clothing with a neighbour every time the klaxon sounds) have been causing a stir. Visually the place is a camp construction of graffitied driftwood with a spattering of large tropical plants; a latino take on the kitsch tack of Mahiki. Drinks wise its all caiparinhas, Sol and gulpable Argentine plonk. A word of warning though – make sure you get there before 10:30 – this place is popular.

91-93 Great Eastern Street, Old Street, EC2A 3HZ. Tel: 020 7613 5228. Web: www.favelachic.com

Green and Red

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:17:49 +0000

A bit like walking into one of those bars in Desperado, but a lot cleaner and with less chance of getting shot, which is nice. The menu is simple, roasted, spicy and meaty – think slow roast pork belly, jalapeno chillis and avocado salsa. Inside it is modern, light, and predominantly wood, with the restaurant on the ground floor and a large bar area downstairs. Graze the expansive list of tequilas and margaritas until you’re calling your mates “hombre” and your girlfriend is talking dirty to you in Spanish, then head to Favela Chic to finish the night off properly.

Price: £30pp. 51 Bethnal Green Rd, Shoreditch, E1 6LA. Tel: 020 7749 9670. Web: www.greenred.co.uk

Crazy Bear

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:55:43 +0000

This cool little venue is a bit tucked away, but make the effort of finding it as it is a fantastic venue for settling in with a few of your best mates and drinking away an evening. The trick is to book one of the booths downstairs, then start piling through the menu of superior cocktails. The dark, plush interior feels just like an intimate club should do – relaxing, informal and mysterious. Upstairs there is a very respectable Thai restaurant, and if you start feeling peckish, then they’ll serve a variety of tempting bar snacks to your table.

26-28 Whitfield Street, nr Tottenham Court Rd, W1T 2RG. Tel: 020 7631 0088. Web: www.crazybeargroup.co.uk

Medicine

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:40:17 +0000

Head to Medicine for a no nonsense night where the drinks are reasonable and the crowd is friendly. It’s Shoreditch, but without the weird haircuts and skinny jeans that make you doubt the sartorial wisdom of London’s “trendy” quarter. Musically things are fairly mainstream on the ground floor and a little more edgy downstairs where regular DJ nights are hosted. The strangely complementary 70s mix of leather and big-print blood-red wallpaper gives a warm, cosy feeling that fits the atmosphere well. The sister site on Upper Street is smaller but no less appealing.

89 Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 3HX. Tel: 020 7739 5173. Web: www.medicinebar.net

Fino Restaurant

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:38:11 +0000

Fino is a modern restaurant offering some of the best Spanish food in London. Serving all the favourites you would expect such as Iberico Lomo and Gambas al Ajillo, the food is simple with sharp tastes, perfect for grazing through accompanied by a few glasses from the strong menu of Spanish wines. The atmosphere is warm, clean, and in spite of its basement setting, airy; equally perfect for a classy first date or a business lunch. If however, you prefer your Iberian experience with the passion and body of a flamenco dancer’s armpit, this may be a little urbane for you.

Closed Sundays. Price: c.£50pp. 33 Charlotte Street, London W1T 1RR. Tel: 0207 813 8010. Website:www.finorestaurant.com

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:37:14 +0000

This Olde Worlde pub was a favourite of Dickens and Johnson. Now, if you can track it down to its alley off Fleet Street, you will find a vaulted warren of bars, restaurants and conspiratory cubby holes alternately decked with rich dark wood panelling and stone. Whilst aspiring barristers and local bankers will be all too familiar with its location, for others the trick is to keep a keen eye out for the sign hanging on the north side of the road, half way between the law courts and Clerkenwell Rd. The food is traditional pub fair, and depending on which of the 3 restaurants you are in varies from no nonsense bites to fill you up to surprisingly fine dining. Come here on a dark winter’s night to quaff a few ales, or impress visiting relatives (especially Americans) with you intimate knowledge of the backstreets of London.

145 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2BU. Tel: 0207 353 6170

Lab

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:35:14 +0000

Shining out from the amorphous mass of Soho bars is Lab. The resident bartenders here really know their stuff, and relish the challenge of creating novel concoctions. Whether you choose to test their mettle or explore the outer reaches of the extensive menu, either way you are in safe hands. Quality is evident from the use of fresh fruit over purees, yet drinks are still reasonable at c.£6-8. Best visited on school nights, Lab’s only downside is that it can get busy and claustrophobic on weekends.

12 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TQ. Tel: 020 7437 7820. Website: www.lab-townhouse.com