Presenting… GINSTOCK

8 gins. 8 bars. Offering 8 cocktails. This was Ginstock.

It was a great start as the sun beat down on the Fifteen sponsored British Street Food Award vendors. Shame that they almost to a man ran out of food just a few hours in but we won’t go into that, I’m sure others will…

PKD's Rhubarb

I was there for the gin, and not to forget this was also a competition. Here is how they rated in my humble opinion:

#1= Sipsmith and Zetter Townhouse with The Gimlet

This was utterly beautifully balanced with 2 parts Sipsmith gin to one part homemade orange and cassia cordial and lemon twist. So drinkable and love the tiny martini glasses for such a potent drink. Went back for more.

#1= Martin Millers and Powder Keg Diplomacy with Gin and Rhubarb Tonic

Another really well balanced drink with the sharpness of homemade rhubarb tonic working really well to created such a fresh drink and loved the stripy cinema popcorn cups too. Well done Matt!

#3 Gilpins and Liberty Lounge with The Herbalisor

Loved the story here, loved the passion of those working for Gilpins, loved the mini g&t sorbets, and although their berry cocktail was more “my thing” the boys loved The Herbalisor, very fresh

#4 Williams and Worship Street Whistling Shop with A Smoked concoction!

This was an interesting combination of citrus and smoke, though it was mainly smoke. Nice, but it could have been any gin in there 

Gilpins Berry Cocktail

#5 Bombay Dry and London Cocktail Club with a Custard Cream topped concoction

Bit forgettable but loved the custard cream!

#6 HVEN and Danger of Death with Dirty Bomb Martini

Good lord, why would you swap olive brine for MEZCAL?! Barely drinkable

#7 Beefeater and Polpo with Negroni

This pre-mix was way WAY too bitter, and I was not the only one saying it, given away

Not tried: Bombay Sapphire and Nightjar with Singapore Sling

I was advised not too so since we were several drinks in I heeded that advice!

Gilpins G&T mini sorbet

Top surprises

§         Williams Gin new Extra Dry Gin offering - delicious, great progress

§         Gilpins Gin and Tonic sorbet in mini cones with a touch of absinthe – world’s BEST hangover cure – as well as their range of tonic waters

Thanks to the band (I recognised the lead singer and pianist from Nightjar) for great music, thanks to all the guys representing their bars and gins who were all more than happy to take the time to tell you about what they are doing and to @tweat_up for making it happen

Gas Light Grill at The Lost Angel, Battersea: 17/20

Location: 339 Battersea Park Road (between Clapham Junction and Queenstown Road)

Website: www.gaslightgrill.co.uk

Visit: a sunny Thursday evening launch night

To Notes: If you like the Blind Tiger/Lost Society or PKD look this is for you

Scores

Ambiance 5/5

Design 4/5

Drinks 3/5

Staff 5/5

Extra LBC star: With time…

I would not normally write a review of a bar after one visit, especially as that visit was the launch night, and it was HOT when everything seems rosier. But I liked it and I want to spread the word. The Lost Angel has been revamped and they have spruced up the restaurant area – the Gas Light Grill – to make a pub that looks rather ordinary from the outside something rather special once you walk in.

The first room is large, wooden floored with a horse shoe bar in the middle. So far, so good. There are large leather chesterfields across the room, there is extravagant brass work around the eagle statues, there is a golden phone box on the right…hold on, this is no ordinary pub. Carry straight on and you have the rather sultry grill room with a small bar in the corner and a door at the end opening onto the terrace. We tried several morsels of what will be on their full menu and I have to admit the steak – especially smothered in whisky BBQ sauce – is very tasty. Other gems included new season asparagus wrapped in ham and mini steak tartar; emphasis is on fresh seasonal ingredients. Bar snacks are also comprehensive from olives to meat platters to burgers to market fish, starting at £2.50 and going up to £18 for steak.

And then the terrace. Ah, the Not To Be Missed terrace. There is one large area under a clear plastic roof covered over with plenty of greenery that also winds up the pillars, a bar in the corner and leather sofas everywhere you look. The smaller part is more high stools and wooden tables with a large umbrella for those fairer skinned drinkers.

(Ladies, the toilets are like the New York loft apartment that you dream of BUT no full length mirror, shocking considering the detail elsewhere!)

So to the drinks; the bar is incredibly well stocked and all cocktails come in at around £8. There was a restricted menu on for the launch night and extra staff were on hand to ensure service. So I will not judge too harshly the over eager addition of Crème de Violette in my Aviation, and although refreshing the gin based Mojito twist was a little simple and the apple flavours did not come through.

So weighing the good and the ever so slightly less good (including the walk to Clapham through a slightly dodgy industrial estate) I will be back; I hope that locals support it and next time you are looking for a space for a large group, especially as the sun becomes more permanent, The Lost Angel should be at the top of your list to call. 

Powder Keg Diplomacy, Clapham Junction 17/20

Location: St Johns Hill, 5 minutes walk from the junction up the hill, on the side where there is nothing worth seeing…

Website: www.powderkegdiplomacy.co.uk

Visit: Thursday and Sunday evening

To Note: Same team as Lost Society, Lost Angel and Blind Tiger if that’s your thing

Scores

Ambience 4/5

Design 4/5

Drinks 4/5

Staff 5/5

Extra LBS Star: Not quite, perhaps I’m getting cynical on the “prohibition thing”

From a break away management team who cut their teeth at the Lost Society group, the influence of the 1920’s/prohibition is obvious though carried out with more subtlety that its past employers manage. Fronted by Baron and Lady Powder Keg, I first came across their libation experiments on Twitter and followed the buzz last year as they started their own bar on a stretch of St John’s Hill that also saw The Plough and Ben’s Canteen open, so we can only hope for more here in 2012.

The front section of the space is the bar, with a mixture of high banquets along one wall, bar stools and tables with doll size chairs that my companion ensured me was comfortable at the window to watch the world go by – though it’s not the most interesting street! The back area is dedicated to food with exciting looking chandeliers and a glass roof. However, it was very dark when we ate here, we struggled to read the menu and I was poked in the back by a large fern at our allocated table since we had not booked – to be worked on! Otherwise the décor is that of a New York loft bar, very “Chinaskis” of Glasgow if you’ve been…

The staff were a highlight, friendly, keen to advise but honest on what they have not tried and with ridiculous moustaches all round to match braces and flat caps. They can steer you through the drinks menu admirably, and quite a drinks menu it is. It starts with several pages of wines (Indian wine, Canada Red, anyone?) then moves onto several pages of cocktails all with interesting twists on the norm and beautifully made classics too. My vodka martini with a lemon twist was part served in a dainty gold rimmed glass, part left in a decanter in a glass of ice to keep it cool before drinking! For something seasonal, local and interesting try Grandad’s allotment. Then their beers stretch over several pages and the gooseberry I tried was delightful.

Food does not play second fiddle here either with a regularly changing seasonal menu offering around 6 starters, mains and desserts all professionally presented and tasty though at £16 a main this is definitely gastro pub price territory.

The music is definitely my scene and following the 20’s influence has a jazzy buzz to it with a fair dose of trumpet. Despite a brief lull during my last visit there was a fairly regular stream of young professionals passing through and we did not even realise that we’d reached closing time when the lights went up.

I am not sure how to sum up PKD. The food is very good. The drinks are very good. The staff are very good. I have been several times despite it not being “en route” to ether my house or my work. Perhaps that’s all I need to say.