Cocktails and Curry

As rafiki would say: '(S)he's ALIVE!' 

6 months of silence and not even a particularly ace story to tell now I'm here. But with a new year and top intentions the flamingo will go a-waltzing again. Starting with... 

...Cocktails at the less-elusive-than-it-sounds The Bar With No Name (or 69 Colebrooke Row for the more conventional amongst us), tucked away just off Essex Road in Angel.

This place takes it's cocktail mixing seriously - with bar staff dressed in lab coats and a list of ingredients to make your eyes water.

Richie Rich claimed it was the best Bloody Mary he'd ever had... I had one sip of my Woodland Martini and nearly passed out - these drinks aren't for the faint hearted (or dry Jan bores). 

Playing to the speakeasy trend of being impossibly hard to find, and almost dangerously dark, this cozy and intimate bar is definitely worth a visit if you're in the 'hood. 

Slightly rosier of cheek we tottered down the road to the new Naamyaa Cafe for food. From the guys behind Busaba Eathai, the rave reviews are already stacking up for this slick little number. 

We ate at the bar and boshed through some pretty awesome spring rolls (I love spring rolls), baby calamari, stir fried prawns and chicken laksa noodles. It was good, not amazing, but a very solid GOOD - perfect for a can't-be-bothered-to-cook kind of supper.

Now onto the other resolutions... bugger.

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Frank's Café and Campari Bar

Now in its fourth year, the Peckham based car park bar Frank's Café is not waning in popularity. And now I can see why...

With incredible views and some of the most reasonably priced cocktails in London, it provided the perfect place for my bestie Giz' birthday. It felt criminal that I'd never been before. 

Arriving on Friday evening, the list of campari-based drinks lured us swiftly into the weekend vibe, our selected Negroni Sbagliato (Campari, Vermouth & Gin) packing a welcome punch.

  

The uber-urban location makes for a surprisingly beautiful spot, the concrete glowing pink in the evening light. There's also a lovely sense of comradery between the drinkers, maybe from the shared glee at being in such a great place or maybe just the smugness at having made it there at all (don't underestimate the trek).

As the sun set and the view faded, pretty festoon lights came on and the vibe turned merrier still. It was only after the bell for last call had rang, and been obeyed, that we tottered back down to pavement level. Birthday girl and gang good and campari-ed and ready to dance.

With priorities elsewhere, I didn't check out the sculpture, but the Bold Tendencies Project #6 will just be one more reason to go back. 

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Lantana

Around Fitzrovia you are spoilt for choice when it comes to nice little eateries for a salad and a glass of wine at lunch, but few compare to the lovely Lantana.

Tucked away on Charlotte Place, their lunch menu is filled with the tastiest of 'light' bites, from their infamous corn fritters (served with smashed avocado and crispy bacon) to the amazing BERT (a toasted sandwich piled high with bacon, fried egg and rocket with a side of creamy aioli).

Daily specials keep it fresh and today I was treated to an amazing goats cheese, fennel and rocket tart, served with aubergine cous cous and a courgette, red pepper and feta salad. Dee-lish.

Top off with a take away coffee (their flat whites are killer) and a treat for the afternoon slump. Today the 'Hello Dolly', a white chocolate, almond and coconut square - I can feel it calling to me already. 

A perfect lunch break treat, or even for brunch on the weekend. So nice to side-step the ever growing chains and go truly independent. The kind of coffee shop we'd all like to one day own.

Good bye Dolly...

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La Bodega Negra Cafe

Saturday's run left me with the hunger of a lion and in need of a stiff drink, so I was pretty excited at the prospect of lunch in Soho's new La Bodega Negra cafe with my Mexico-phile friend, Tasha.

Born of a collaboration between NY nightlife don and restaurant creative director Serge Beck (of The Box and La Esquina fame), London restaurateur Will Ricker and entrepreneur Ed Spencer Churchill, unsurprisingly this place has had some pretty serious coverage. Whilst the mid-month bank balance couldn't quite stretch to the resto, I was keen to get a taste of the place so we headed down and nabbed a table in the cafe.

La Bodega Negra Cafe

The vibe was cool - nicely bustling, but chilled enough to chat, the diner set up carried through to fluoro signs and checkered floor. The staff were on it and we had two margaritas before us in a flash. 

Hibiscus and Tamarind frozen Margaritas

We ordered two sets of soft tacos, one of the classic cochinita pibil pork salsa verde and one chorizo and butternut squash - lashings of homemade salsa verde and fresh lime giving them a good old kick. A chicken tostadita, whilst delicious in the winning mix of meat, avocado and crisped up tortilla, still failed to satisfy. So with another round of margaritas (this time straight up) we got ourselves a plate of the chilaquiles to share. Sadly they were pretty disappointing, the typically flavoursome, spicy dish replaced with a far too healthy tasting, bland counterfeit.

The bill was perhaps a little punchy, to say we'd eaten light, but the cocktails were worth every penny of their £7.50 frozen goodness and this cool little taqueria had provided the perfect backdrop to an afternoon of best friend quality time. 


Next stop the restaurant... Any invites most gratefully received.

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