Stormbird - Communion Bar - Sun of Camberwell - On The Roof

Wednesday 11th June - The blog got a little Shoreditch heavy last week, so here is an attempt to balance things out with a trip to Camberwell.

The evening started with a pint in Stormbird, Camberwell's beer mecca which has been on my to-do list for a very long time.  It's a pleasant spot for an after work drink in summer as large windows open out on to the street. There's a great selection of beer, and the prices are very reasonable which makes a nice change - rewards for going slightly off the beaten track.  The likes of Marble Earl Grey IPA, Darkstar Art of Darkness, Wild Beer Madness IPA, Evil Twin Ashtray Heart and To Øl Cloud 9 Wit kept me happy.

They don't have a food offering, but you can bring in whatever you like from elsewhere, which we did later on during our second stay.

Our second stop of the evening was Communion Bar, tucked underneath Angel & Gypsies tapas restaurant. They describe themselves better than I ever could:

"Communion Bar is a place to enjoy a baptism of exceptional music & artisan beverages amidst a magical setting. At Communion bar we pay homage to the sacred beverage , mirroring the wondrous flavours from our community, while sharing in the entertainment that makes our South London roots so special.  To accompany the experience, leisurely tapas are available from our 'Angels & Gypsies' kitchen.

We are the kneeling, the ritual, the homage, the reverence of the holy elixir held in the sanctified chalice. 

We invite you to hold communion with us."

Translated - quirky stained glass window décor, complimentary communion wine & wafers at every table, a great line up of live funk music, and bonkers cocktails making use of local ingredients and influences.  Food from upstairs is available til late which is a bonus, and they run a rather superb Holy Happy Hour from 6pm-8pm when all signature cocktails are £5

We started with Pretty Little Shanty Town (Dark rum, Velvet Falermurn, lime, ginger, orange bitters & molasses) which had a delicious helping of honeycomb on top, and an Outlaw (Jim Beam, home made cranberry syrup, mint, sugar & chocolate bitters).

Moving on to some of their more bizarre offerings, Lauren went for a Tannery (Vodka, Araku - a rum coffee liquer, Nigerian guiness foam and chilli chocolate) which had a tasty frozen chilli chocolate coating around the rim.  

I was very taken with my Black Rice Old Fashioned (Jameson whisky stirred with splash of Black Sticky Rice liqueur, home made nettle syrup & peychaud's bitters), as was Ryan who ordered one for himself later on.

Tanner topped with Nigerian Guiness Foam

Black Rice Old Fashioned

Paul meanwhile went for the ridiculous Grass Arena - inspired by John Healy's tale of homeless alcoholism and chess - Carlsberg Special Brew, chilli infused Dewar's Whisky, home made cranberry syrup & Buckfast tonic wine.  Surprisingly drinkable considering the mad ingredients!

My Uncle Mauby (Home made pineapple wine, fresh Granadilla - Colombian passion fruit, white & dark rum, Mauby bark syrup & lavender sugar) was topped with a generous portion of passion fruit, whilst Lauren's South Eastern (Lemon verbena infused vodka, fresh sweet basil, green cardoman, lemon & green apple) also had fruity garnishes - were they trying to give us our five a day (rather than our daily bread)?

Grass Arena & South Eastern

Carlsberg Special Brew in a cocktail?

Uncle Mauby

The last round included a enjoyable Daisy Flower Martini (Daisy infused Lillet Blanc stirred with Snow Leopard Vodka over broken grapefruit zest) which was not as boozy as Sean had hoped, and a Dry Cherry Ilegal (Ilegal Mezcal, juice of grilled Sicilian lemons, Cherry Marnier and Bitters) which I would have ordered for myself had I known that the cherry would take a back seat - can't go wrong with a Mezcal cocktail at the moment.

Daisy Flower Martini

Dry Cherry Ilegal

More beautifully presented drinks at Communion Bar:

On top of the wonderful range of cocktails, there are quirky homemade infusions including Five Bark Bush & Herb African Gin, home made soft drinks such as Tibetan Snow Lotus (A type of fermented Keffir from Tibet topped with soda water) and a very respectable bottled beer list.  

Communion Bar really impressed me on all fronts, and this was on a night with no funk music - I will definitely have to return for the full experience.

After a fair few cocktails, we made our way upstairs and decided to grab some food to take back in to Stormbird.  The originally named Falafel next door came highly recommended so we popped in for some tasty £3 falafel wraps & £4.50 mezze boxes - great value and very filling.  Alternatively, you can head to FM Mangal which gets Jay Rayner's seal of approval.

Falafel from Falafel

After a few more excellent beers in Stormbird, we decided to have one last drink at the Sun of Camberwell, the local Antic establishment.  You can always rely on Antic for an atmospheric pub, but they are very inconsistent with their range of beer.  

The Sun of Camberwell is an awesome space, with the usual cosy sofas and lamps dotted around in a massive front room, and a good looking beer garden.  But they seriously let themselves down on the beer front - pick of a rum bunch, bottles of Affligem and one average Adnams ale didn't really cut it.  If they sorted that out, I would be here all the time.

That said, you can't go wrong with some Laphroaig and most won't be too bothered by the lack of interesting beers. I imagine Sunday Roasts are extremely popular here, as our their garden BBQ parties which will probably be fairly regular during the summer.

I enjoyed my wee dram and moved off into the streets of Camberwell to find my way home.  Oh, what's that - a bus from outside the pub to my door? Camberwell 1 East London 0.

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Sunday 8th June - Just a quick mention for the rooftop screening of Austin Powers, organised by Press Play on the top of One New Change overlooking St.Paul's, that I went along to recently with Lauren.  After a promising immersive Kill Bill screening in Hoxton a couple of months ago, I was keen to see what Press Play would get up to on the roof.

After a funky ride in a bespoke lift / time machine, we emerged on to the rooftop where the majority of folks were in full 60s regalia.  There were free treats from Propercorn, champagne ice lollies from Pops and a Shaguar bar serving Anning's Mint & Pear Cider and Green & Pleasant Lager.  For the more adventurous, there were syringes of Austin Powers' mojo, and Fat Bastard stool sample cocktails served fresh from a toilet - two very nice touches to tie in with the film.

Best of all, Austin Powers himself (in a dodgy wig) was going round passing on his best moves to everyone before the film.  He then led the crowd in a massive dance in time to the opening credits sequence, some of which I captured on camera:

Austin Powers "On The Roof" by Press Play from Matt The List on Vimeo.

To see all of the photos from the event, check out my sets on Matt The Tumblr - Set 1 / Set 2 / Set 3, and if the film doesn't work, you can also find it here.

It was the perfect summer evening for it, with great sunset views over neighbouring St.Paul's and no need for the extra-warm hoodie in my bag.  The event was a huge success, and will definitely give the other rooftop cinema clubs who play it straight something to think about.  Austin Powers was an excellent choice, and the themed entertainment was cleverly done.  Fingers crossed they take on a few more rooftop projects before summer gives way.

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Clutch - Climpson's Arch - Rita's Bar & Dining - Skylodge - Farr's School of Dancing

Saturday 7th December - Time to catch up on the busy run up to Christmas, starting with a rambling evening out in East London, centred around a trip to Platterform's new Skylodge space in London Fields.  Tim was keen to push on with his Team List account after spending many months away in Paris this year, so we packed in as much as we could.

Our original plan was to start at the Wigwambam on the roof of the Queen of Hoxton, but it was sadly closed for a private event.  The rooftop installation is Nordic themed this year. I was a huge fan of the wigwam last year, so I will make an effort to get back there soon for some hot drinks, spoon carving and their open grill in a cosy setting.  

Just round the corner is the attractive Shoreditch Food Village, a striking red tent with several street food vendors inside including Yalla Yalla,  We popped our heads in as Tim's tummy was rumbling, but we decided to push on for the moment.

Top Left Clockwise - Craft Beer Social Club, Wigwambam (x2) and Yalla Yalla at Shoreditch Food Village

We powered our way up Shoreditch High Street (passing by Martin Morales' new Andina restaurant) and down the Hackney Road before cutting off right down Ravenscroft Road to find new free range chicken joint, Clutch.

Clutch have quirkily set up shop in an old estate pub, in a quiet area in between Hackney Road & Columbia Road. They have transformed the space beautifully, with a stylish dining room (with incredible giant lightbulbs) and a trendy bar at the back.

Clutch Chicken

We were only making a flying visit en route to bars in London Fields, so we ordered a half bucket of Peanut & Chilli Crust fried chicken to go.  While we were waiting we sampled a couple of their interesting bottled beers from Moncada and Kernel, and had a nice chat with the barmen.  They serve a range of £9.00 "Clutchtails" with names like The Sour Grouse and Cackling Goose Cosmo.

Before too long our chicken arrived, with a Roasted Garlic & Creme Fraiche dip on the side, and we were on our way.  It wasn't the easiest thing to eat on a bus, but we enjoyed the jealous glances from fellow travellers.  It was truly delicious and I would highly recommend heading there for a sit down meal.

Peanut & Chilli Crust chicken at Clutch

They also run a very tempting brunch at the weekend (11-3 Sat, 9-3 Sun) with the likes of Dozy Drake (Duck Egg & Caramelized Onion on Sourdough) for £4.50.  

Dozy Drake for brunch at Clutch

Once we had disposed of our takeaway box, we made our way over to Climpson's Arch, a stunning little archway coffee roastery which doubles as a bar and food space near London Fields.  Trust Google Maps as you are sent down a seemingly abandoned road.  The beautiful Christmas tree told us we were in the right place, and we popped inside for some Camden Pale Ale.

Climpson's Arch at Christmas

They often have special food events running (e.g. Licky Chop and Wunderbar East last year) so check ahead before you go, but you are normally able to pop in for just a drink anyway.  Every Thursday in February they will be running a Winter BBQ Supper Club - read more here. Sunday Roast at the Roastery also sounds great.

Climpson's Arch

As we left we were joined by East Londoner Tom who hadn't been to London Fields Brewery, so we walked round the corner to have a quick drink in their cosy tap room.  Read more here from my last visit in July. 

We went for a 3 x 1/3 beer flight with Black Frost Stout, American Black and Shoreditch Triangle IPA - all tasty, but tough to judge after only a 1/3.  They also had a lovely tree, but it was 2nd best to Climpson's Arch.

London Fields Brewery at Christmas

After a bizarre episode with a friendly chap who seemed to think Tim was a doorman for London Fields Brewery, we were back on the road. Next stop: Rita's Bar and Dining

After some hugely popular popups at Birthdays and Feast, Rita's has found a permanent home on Mare Street.  They instantly received some great reviews, including 4 stars from Fay Maschler.  1/2 Fried Chicken with Warm Warm Honey and Sausage Gravy appealed even after a bucket of Clutch chicken, but we were just here for a quick drink on this occasion.  Returning here for food is very high on my to do list.

Photo Credit : Benjamin McMahon

We instead propped up the tiny bar (getting in the way of pretty much everyone) and had a couple of drinks. I went for a moreish Hard Cidre for only £5.50 (Kraken Rum, Cidre Breton, Vanilla, Apple) whilst Tim had a Palermo at £7 (Gran Centenario Plata Tequila, Campari, Grapefruit, House Soda).

We then started working our way through tasters of their top shelf concoctions, including some infused rums (e.g. Cinnamon & Honey, Vanilla) and a deadly bottle of Whiskey infused with very hot pickles which left us all in tears.

With our mouths still burning, we finally made our way to Skylodge, Platterform's latest rooftop residency after the fantastic Skyroom that I was a big fan of last year.  They have temporarily taken over the Hothouse roopftop that Coppa Bar & BBQ inhabited in the summer.  The theme is just about to change (more info on that later), but when we popped in it was a cosy lumberjack lodge.  I was very sad to miss the Thanksgiving launch party which involved chasing a terrifying looking turkey from Broadway Market to the Hothouse.

On arrival, we were warmly greeted by Julian who wasted no time in blowtorching some marshmallows for us.  They haven't wasted an inch of space in the lodge - keep your eyes peeled for Bigfoot's footsteps, a moose head made by the people behind Spitting Image, and some underwear on a tree stump!

To start, we sampled a range of beers from the Strawman Brewery which lives just below the Hothouse. The Amber, Saison and Munich were all equally impressive - I hope to see more of these guys this year.  I also took home a potent Imperial Stout which went down very easily at Christmas.

Strawman Brewery beers

We took our beers for a walk, taking in all the delightful decor.  The cosy snug complete with blankets and a fake fire seemed to be the most popular spot, along with the fun little huts down one side - head to the Lumberjack Love Shack if you dare.  One end had a small stage set up for Campfire Sessions and there was also a projector screen for their Bigfoot Film Club.

We made our way over to the Lumberjack Diner for some "Lumbersnacks" and hot cocktails.  Tasty wings, ribs, sloppy joes and pancakes all disappeared very quickly along with heartwarming drinks with silly names like the Hands-on Gretel.  Special mention must go to Aria for superb service in the diner.

As we were finishing up our food, we were drawn back to the main area by a game of "Moosical Logs" which was being taken very seriously by punters and a couple of Skylodge staff dressed up in Bigfoot / Lion onesies.

Feeling left out, we decided to take part in the (free) Lumberjack Olympics, starting with Pin the Beard on the Lumberjack.  As you can see below, Tom definitely cheated his way to the top in the first discipline.

Next up was "Deer Hunter" darts which Tim narrowly won.  Finally, we took on "Hammer Time" - who can hammer a nail into a tree stump with the fewest hits? Not me, apparently.  In fact, I may well have set the all time record high.  Tom stormed to victory and took the prize, a bottle of Beavertown Brewery's Stingy Jack.

Lumberjack Olympics at Skylodge

As I mentioned though, the Lumberjack theme is making way for a 15 week adventure on the high seas. The space has now been transformed into a Shanty Shack where you expect "Rum Rations", "Captain's Choice" cocktails and "Shanty Shots".  You can book in advance for food here - 4 courses and an after dinner drink for £30.  I'm certain it will be just as much fun as the Skylodge, especially as they are promising "music, drinks and games with the Captain after dinner".  Go and check it out soon before everyone discovers it!

Olympic Champion Tom decided to call it a night, but Tim and I squeezed in one more place before catching the last Overground home.  A speedy bus trip took us to Dalston Junction where we popped into Antic's latest pub, Farr's School of Dancing.  Antic London are responsible for some of my favourite South London pubs - Balham Bowls Club, Effra Social, Hagen & Hyde, Tooting Tram & Social - so I knew what to expect.

Their new site takes its name from a dance school that occupied the building in the late 30s.  At present, there is just one main room, but they plan to open a basement bar and an upstairs kitchen soon.  The décor is kooky as usual - look out for the motorbike hanging from the ceiling.  They had some interesting beers from Clarence & Fredericks which I haven't seen before, plus a couple from Wild Card Brewery.  

Antic have got it right again, this time right in the heart of hipster-land, right opposite Dalston Junction station - expect it to be busy!  

Farr's School of Dancing

Tim picks up a hard earned 5 points and moves up to 5th place on the Team List Leaderboard. Tom gets 3 points but has work to do to make it into the Top 20.