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Monday 4 November 2013

The Blind Pig, Soho: 20/20

Location: 58 Poland Street, London, W1F 7NR

Website: www.socialeatinghouse.com 

Visit: Every time you are free!

To Note: Enjoy some nibbles if you cannot get a dinner table downstairs

Scores
Ambiance 5/5
Design 5/5
Drinks 5/5
Staff 5/5 

The Blind Pig. From the minute I walked in (through the wrong door, take the wooden door to the right of the restaurant which has both a pig's head on it and is under the optician's sign) I felt like I may have found another of those gems on the bar scene - and the proof is that I keep going back.

The decor is reminiscent of Hawksmoor with lots of leather and dark wood alongside burnished metal. (It is not a speakeasy by any standards but) the low lighting and cosy booths make this place feel wonderfully illicit, even if you are sitting on the exceedingly comfy leather bar stool watching the magic happen. 

The drinks - as group bar manager and legend Gareth Evans says - are already being copied elsewhere in the capital and we all know this is the sincerest form of flattery. In particular their thermo-nuclear daiquiri - though not a recipe that they can claim - is served with bio-hazard tape and a glow stick so look out for this serve! Cereal killer is served in a clear plastic milk carton and garnishes are divine. And the menu is well proportioned with all the bar staff working together to ensure a menu that covers the bases without overwhelming you. I have tried several drinks over my visits and the currently trending Slap and Pickle - yup, gin with pickle juice - still stays with me as both intriguing and worth another order! 

Speaking of staff, these guys are polite and friendly, and under the tutelage of Gareth Evans (Diageo's World Class star 2012) are also knowledgeable in both spirits and cocktails. 

I cannot say enough good things about The Blind Pig; and they have followed up this success just a few months later with Berner's Tavern in Editions Hotel. It is barely 5 minutes walk away and utterly decadent - Jason Atherton's empire knows no bounds and long may this continue. 

1 comment:

  1. I am excited because I feel like the bars in Stockton are starting to adopt some of the elements of the European bar scene and it is making every trip memorable.

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