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. 

Bunga Bunga, Battersea: 18/20*

Location:  37 Battersea Bridge Road   

Website: www.bungabunga-london.com 

Visit: Many Friday evenings, rarely sober

To Note? Downstairs is the restaurant and bar, upstairs is the nightclub. Big Rich the bouncer is awesome, the female hosts are less so. Look out for their brunch

Score

Ambiance 5/5

Design 5/5

Drinks 4/5

Staff 4/5

Extra LBS star: * for the sheer outrageousness 

Girls dressed like Gaddafi dancing on the bar on a Friday night. Then girls dressed in corsets dancing round the bar. I'm not sure why this surprised me in a place called Bunga Bunga. Perhaps its because on past visits the tables and chairs were removed at a certain time of night specifically to discourage table dancing...by the customers. 

Eurovision Room

So that gives you an idea of my past visits, mainly post dinner party alcohol fuelled trips upstairs to the "Eurovision" room to dance like the almost 30 year olds that we are; and we love it, especially as the kids have not yet ventured in. The crowd is rather post work suits but up for a laugh. 

So it came as a surprise that I was in Bunga Bunga, sober, on a Friday evening and browsing the cocktail menu. As our outrageously good looking barmen dressed as a gondalier approached we both presumed this man was hired for his "talent" rather than bar skills; how wrong I was. 

I declared that only whisky would do considering the day, week, month I had had and he pulled out a parma ham infused Woodford Reserve cocktail with lapsang souchong syrup; it was really good. My friend's B.A.N.G went down so well we went in for another round. I had a Regalo di Tersigni and my friend took the suggestion offered of an "Italian" job. Again, sticky glasses due to an overeager barman with icing sugar but well crafted. We were also provided with a small pot of very fine parmigiana to nibble on. 

Bunga Bunga ground floor

And perhaps most importantly in between all this we were moved to the end of the bar and treated to four dancing girls every 30 minutes dancing with progressively less clothes and come the end, small fireworks and accompanied by the waiting staff. Interesting. The closest my friend has ever come to a strip club. Frankly thoroughly recommended to lift the mood after a dreadful week at work because you help but smile at this tomfoolery even if the girls looked less than delighted!

(This is also a karaoke bar and a pizzeria which has a lot of praise for its food, toilets play Italian lessons, staff wear lewd aprons and your cocktail may come in Berlosconi's head, or the leaning tower of Pisa, or...you get the idea)

Presenting...Patty and Bun Joe

Just look at it. It is a tower of oozing, tasty perfectly cooked meat and cheese piled with fresh salad into a melting brioche bun and served alongside a pot of downright tasty rosemary salt chips.

Good news: This is food porn at its best (and yes, Joe is as tasty as his burgers!)


Bad news: This particular Battersea pop up spot with Street Kitchen is over for now but follow @pattyandbunjoe on twitter for the next project