London's best cocktail bars: 69 Colebrooke row

And so I tread on, searching for the ultimate cocktail joint in London. Last night I went to 69 Colebrooke Row, in Angel.

Right off the bat, this was very much more my idea of what a cocktail joint should look like. Small, dark, clubby vibe, and the pianist de rigueur, plowing through some lively jazz piece.


The space is quite tiny, black and white checkered flours, a small bar at the end, an old school look, black and red satin uniforms for the ladies. I crawl into a little place in the back, and begin exploring the menu.

Thankfully, this one doesn't read like a an overstuffed address book full of Thai hookers, like Loungelover. Concise and classy is how we like it. There are a total of twelve drinks on the menu, from a classic Dry Martini to a jazzed up Apple Bellini.



Being the dilligent blogger that I have grown to be, I sampled a total of four cocktails. On average, I found them quite nice, not overly sweet or fussy, served in the right glass, and carefully prepared. I particularly liked the Spitfire, cognac, creme de peche, white wine, lemon juice and sugar. Perfectly balanced, not sweet, not too strong, just right. The serafin, a tequila/pear/ginger beer type thing, was a bit on too much on the wrong side of washing-up liquid for my taste, though.


This place gets props for creating an environment where the focus is on the drinks, and where the barman really is the centre of attention. Upon closer inspection, it felt like something was still a bit off, the furnishings a bit cheap, the white tile floor a bit more bodega than speakeasy.But the vibe is laid back, the cocktails overall are good, and the crowd young, rowdy, and unpretentious. Definitely a go.


Info:


69 Colebrooke Row

www.69colebrookerow.com

Tel. 07540528593