bars � drink
squaremeal.co.uk | 83
Pearl's at The Cat & Mutton
76 Broadway Market, E8 4QJ; 020 7249 6555
A 300-year-old legend on Broadway Market, The Cat � Mutton
recently re-launched under the aegis of new owner Tom Gibson,
from Ruby's in Dalston. Downstairs is a vintage boozer, upstairs
is Pearl's - an adventure playground done out like an Edwardian
bordello, where kittenish behaviour is encouraged and cocktails
are king. Punters can lock lips with a Fiery Mare (gin, Kamm � Sons
aperitif, cucumber, wasabi and lemon), thrill to Nellie's Frisk (a vodka,
Grand Marnier and grapefruit sour), or submit to Ethel's Wish, with its
tart rhubarb tones. Street-food heroes Licky Chops are responsible
for the food, so expect trendy ris ranging
from burnt broccoli with yoghurt and
pickled mustard seeds to a bucket of
mutton chops with bean salad, mash
and mint sauce.
Trapeze
89 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HX; 020 7739 6747
Trapeze may not be The Greatest Show on Earth, but this retro big topthemed
club/bar is a real funfair for drinkers. Roll up for 'curiosities
and monstrosities' such as Beer-ded Lady (an apricot and ale genever
sour), the Snake Charmer (saron gin, yoghurt, rose and peppermint),
Wall (banger) of Death and Pickled Punk (Cocchi Americano aperitif,
blood orange shrub and pickled fruits). In the absence of Coco
the Clown, Milk � Cookies (rum, ginger syrup, claried milk and
biscuits) sounds like a bit of a laugh. Trapeze's copious Coney Island
diner-style chow is perhaps best avoided before throwing shapes
to big-name DJs such as Joey Negro and NYC house legend Victor
Simonelli; and you'd better prepare yourself for intriguing sideshows
such as 'naked painting party' nights.
El Nivel
La Perla, 26 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7JS; 020 7240 7400
Billed as 'London's rst agavería' and named after the legendary
cantina where Che Guevara and Castro plotted the Cuban Revolution,
El Nivel eschews lurid Day of the Dead daftness in favour of Latin
retro with a touch of LA. Chosen by American owner Tomas Estes (an
authority on all things agave), top-notch
Tequilas, mezcals, sotols and other
rarities are used to inform commendable
cocktails ranging from Mezcal Fix, a
saltwater-spritzed, smoky sour made
with roasted pineapple, lime and Cynar,
to Mulato Margarita with crème de
cacao and chipotle salt. Fiery pork belly
chicharones (crackling), pimped-up guacamole, and a combo of
lobster and monksh with Sangrita reduction are typical snacks, but
there's no place for Mexican vino on the Euro-accented wine list.
Bermondsey Art Club
102a Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TP; no telephone
With its on-the-money mix of Dark Knight deco, 50s UK utilitarian
design, renegade rock and raw retro soul, this converted public loo is
likely to prove more than a mere ash in the pan. The new owner - a
St Martin's graduate who now rents aordable local units to fellow
artists - originally envisioned the space as a daytime ca/social hub
for his tenants, but research indicated that today's budding Banksys
PUNTERS CAN LOCK LIPS WITH A
FIERY MARE, THRILL TO NELLIE'S
FRISK, OR SUBMIT TO ETHEL'S WISH
Clockwise from this image:
Bermondsey Art Club; Trapeze;
Pearl's at The Cat Mutton