The Crackberry Times » Everything

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

Andrew Edmunds

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:23:00 +0000

Whether you’re planning a Valentine’s Day extravaganza or trying to claw your way back into your loved one’s affections after a romantic interlude, Andrew Edmunds is a valuable asset to Cupid’s arsenal. This place is the culinary translation of a bunch of red roses and romance seems to ooze out the walls like the waft of Sex Panther. The intimate interior is dark wood, with dim lighting and is adorned with many candles (naturally). A hand written menu details the modern European mix of food, which changes on daily basis and is seasonally influenced. If you want to be on someone, bring them here.

46 Lexington Street, Soho, W1F 0LW. Tel: 020 7437 5708

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

Go Ballistic Paintballing

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:56:17 +0000

Canary Wharf may well be outside Zone 1, but only just, and as it’s also on the Jubilee line it could almost be forgiven. Now, whilst having an office job in a converted dockland often isn’t much fun, having a 40k ft sq indoor paintballing arena there is. As you might expect, the terrain is constantly changed to spice things up (it even includes the odd tank or two) and you can slap down your opponents through a variety of different games. Ideal for letting your inner button-down Oxford-cloth psycho loose; stalk from room to room with a gas-powered semi-automatic weapon, pumping round after round into colleagues and co-workers…

Group packages from £35pp. Canary Wharf (2 minutes away from Waitrose Canada Square). Tel: 0870 787 3897. Web:www.london-paintball.com

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

Blueprint Cafe

crackberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:41:39 +0000

This restaurant in the Design Museum overlooks the Thames from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf. Clearly the view is the star of the show here, whilst the restaurant itself is set in a glass box whose interior aesthetics frame it all beautifully. The food is considerably better than your average museum café papier maché, but admittedly you might not make the trip for it alone. The variety of modern European dishes is good if not superlative. Perfect if you are playing host to visitors from out of town, but would also make for an interesting alternative for Sunday lunch.

Mon – Sat 12-3 & 6-11; Sun 12-4. Price approx £40pp. 28 Shad Thames, nr Tower Bridge, SE1 2YD. Phone: 020 7378 7031

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