bars � drink

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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 ri‘s 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 (sa‘ron 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, clari•ed 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 monk•sh 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 Ÿash in the pan. The new owner - a

St Martin's graduate who now rents a‘ordable 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