Tag: speakeasy

HAPPENINGS / Events

Sipsmith Hellfire Consortium

There's a big secret being covered up at hidden speakeasy bar Barts, and it's not how to find it! Oh no... it turns out that Uncle Barts is being played at his own game, worse still, under his own roof. Apparently, it is not Uncle Barts who brews up the best bootlegging concoctions after all, but a mystery group with far higher powers that pull the wool over Barts' eyes, The Hellfire Consortium.

This perilous party of puppeteers are said to convene once a month between the hours of 7- 8pm, where they imbibe, discover and decide upon what will be Uncle Barts' next master cocktail. More importantly, for the first time ever, the hell-raising group has decided to offer you the chance to join in on their hair-raising reunions.

A group of 13 lucky applicants will be carefully selected each month and given the opportunity to help form the revised consortium in an hour long tasting, as well as cocktail master class hosted by expert mixologist Vincenzo Sibilia. Together the group will compose and refine one cocktail of their choice that will be available to their fellow moonshiners for the duration of the following month.

Each meeting will focus on a different brand of alcohol, beginning with Sipsmith Spirits, Vodka, Gin and Summer Cup on Tuesday 23rd July, when the team behind the drink with also assist the Hellfire Consortium by talking them through the history and mystery behind the flavours of the spirits...but shhh, you didn't hear it from us!

Barts is a quirky 'speak easy' style bar located on the prestigious Sloane Avenue. It is the brainchild of Duncan Stirling and Charlie Gilkes, the dynamic duo that own the Inception Group that also comprises of the highly successful 80's themed nightclub, Maggie's and an Englishman's Italian, Bar, Pizzeria and Karaoke, Bunga Bunga in Battersea. This summer they will also be launching Mr Fogg's in Mayfair, a recreation of the actual home of Jules Verne's most famous adventurer, Phileas Fogg, as well as a Disco, an underground boîte in Soho, inspired by the disco movement, which started in 1970s Manhattan.

So who the devil is pulling the strings on Uncle Barts? To find out sneak your way into this month's Hellfire Consortium...

Consortium meetings to be held towards the end of each month

Time: 7-8pm

Tickets: £13

First meeting: Tuesday 23rd July 2013

HAPPENINGS / Events

Candlelight Club – Kentucky Derby Special

Candlelight Club present their Kentucky Derby Special, surely the only way to watch the derby in London this Bank Holiday Weekend?

The Kentucky Derby is happening during the Bank Holiday weekend: with a week-long build-up of parades and parties and minor races, culminating in the main events, the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the Kentucky Derby itself on Saturday. Because of the time differences, these will be happening live in Louisville, Kentucky, during our party, and we're planning to screen live internet footage.

Guests will be given tokens on arrival, which they can use to place bets on the actual race, using the real odds from Kentucky. On top of that, for a bit of fun we'll be running Escalado, a mechanical table-top horse racing game invented in the 1920s, which customers can also bet on. At the end of the evening the person who has won the most tokens gets a prize.

This event has a special "Southern hospitality" flavour. We'll be celebrating drinks of the Old South, with obviously an emphasis on bourbon, including some high-end bourbons to try, plus of course the famous Mint Julep (sweetened bourbon with mint served over crushed ice), spiked ice teas and cocktails with watermelon juice.

The food will be a menu of traditional Southern-style picnic specialities, such as fried chicken, BBQ pork, cornbread and Hot Brown (a kind of Welsh rarebit invented at Louisville's Brown Hotel in 1926).

The band will be the Dixie Ticklers, playing Dixie jazz. We will also have prizes for the best-dressed Southern Gentleman and Southern Belle. Plus we've got all the usual Candlelight Club attractions: the secret location, the fact that it's lit entirely by candles, the cocktails, the live band and vintage DJs.

 

When: Friday 3rd May and Saturday 4th May 2013

Venue: Secret location (only announced to ticket holders)

Opening times:  From 7:00pm - 1:00am.

Advanced tickets: £15.75.

Tickets available to buy from: http://www.thecandlelightclub.com/ 

London News

Smith’s Cocktail Bar

smiths Cocktail bar

Smith’s Cocktail Bar is a great addition to Shepherd’s Bush. It may not be too original as new openings go, with speakeasy themes and a drinking den atmosphere but this kind of stuff is a little newer when it comes to Shepherd’s Bush and we’re glad it’s arrived.

You will find Smith’s Cocktail Bar in the basement of the Brook Green Hotel, and once in there you’ll be met by low lighting, exposed brick walls, and much needed velvet to round off the speakeasy look.

There is food in the form of the much loved sharing plate which includes options like pulled pork rilette, maple duck wings (so good) and an ale toasty- all able to be enjoyed inside curtained booths so that no one will witness your tipsy sticky duck wing fingers.

Cocktails are made to cater to everyone. The person that plays it safe will find the normal Martinis and sours and then, for the more adventurous, there are drinks such as a vodka-based Sherbet Fountain served with a liquorice straw, or Tall Dark and Handsome – a sherry based cocktail with Belgian chocolate pellets.

Cocktails range between £7-£8 which is a littler steeper than we would like given this isn’t central and sharing plates come in between £14-£16.

170 Shepherd’s Bush Rd
London
W6 7PB

0207 371 1361

HAPPENINGS / Events

Tales Under the Tree at Barts

tales under the -Christmas-Tree at London Speak easy BartsYou may think The Chelsea cloisters is full of flats but think again, anyone in the know will know that within this block of flats is a small speakeasy behind a door that looks simply like a flat from the outside.

Let the secret London bar that is Barts get you feeling all Christmassy later this month and coax you in to their cosiest Christmas corner. Barts have made a relaxing Rudolph retreat with mulled wine, warm cider, Christmas carols and the perfect end to a long day of gift buying boredom, tales under the tree. This secret speakeasy’s book club will even be hosting a secret Santa once story time is done!

So to warm up your toes, and nose, come cosy up in Barts...

And...so that we can all remember these merry times, Barts will be launching a new tradition, the Barts Annual Christmas Team Photo. To be taken at their official Christmas launch party on Wednesday 28th November 2012, starting at 7:30pm, all regulars and equally new faces alike are invited to come and pose like Prancer for this seasonal snapshot. The photo will then be named, framed and mounted on the Barts wall and also given as a gift to all those regulars featured!

Christmas tales are on the 28th November

BARTS

Wednesday 28th November 2012

Food & Drink

The Best Bars Are North & East

Colebrooke row - islington has best bars in the worldA new survey has proclaimed that the best bars in the whole of the world are in North and East London, Finsbury, Islington, Hoxton and Shoreditch in fact.

5 of the top 20 bars in all the world reside in these areas of London so think yourself darned lucky if you're popping out to one this week - you're drinking in the best the world has to offer!

This bar list has been put together by Drinks International magazine and bars as far flung as calling Japan, Australia, South Africa and Singapore home make up the list which also includes speakeasys, dive bars and psuedo-private residencies.

The bars seem very much to have been judged by their drinks and interiors rather than price, atmosphere etc - but no matter -  least we know we're in the right place to get a damn god cocktail if we feel the need.

So why not make sure you frequent one of these best bars over the weekend? A cherry pick of a few are below :

20s jazz bar the Night Jar in City Road, Finsbury came third overall which had a lot to do with the excellent garnishes placed on the side of their very special drinks. The menu is quirkily divided into pre and post prohibition era libation.

69 Colebrook Row, Islington (image), takes eighth place. The bar again has a jazz vibe with a live pianist most nights. Your head bartender here is Tony Conigliaro, one of the most celebrated bartenders in the world who is constantly beavering away at new combinations for the menu in his drinks lab. Colebrook Row also offers cocktail master classes.

It's no little wonder really that Callooh Callay in Rivington Street, Shoreditch crops up. This bar is in 9th place and although it is indeed a great bar it's a little steep in price for our liking. We think what gets everyone going is the giant wardrobe you walk through to get between adjoining bars.

Basement bar, Happiness Forgets, Hoxton Square, comes in at 12th place. The bar has been praised for its quality ingredients, recipes, methods and service.

If you're in Finsbury then you want to get to Zetter’s Townhouse, in St John Square, which came in 15th. The interior is very Lady Cavasham-esque, full of Victorian nick-nacks. And cocktails are handled by Mr Conigliaro.

source : Islington Gazette