Senor Ceviche - Summer Spritz Bar at Merchant House - Bermondsey Arts Club - Ohayo

Much like a standard Matt The List outing, this post starts with good foodie intentions but soon careers off down a boozier path.  Luckily, Ohayo is there at the end of it all to save the day.

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Peruvian-popup-turned-permanent Senor Ceviche have recently added new dishes (and updated a few older ones) having settled in to their colourful Barranco-inspired home in the increasingly wonderful Kingly Court.  It was a first visit for Matt The List, so it was all new to me!

The fabulous Fabrizia got straight to the Pisco point as we sat down, pointing us towards their trademark sours amongst other concoctions.  The cocktail list threatens to be too sweet throughout, but all four of our drinks were very well balanced, not least the Barranco Babe (1615 Pisco, Passion Fruit Purée, Vanilla Syrup, Basil, Lime Juice, Egg White & Burnt Angostura) which could have been awful in the wrong hands.

Uncle Pastuzo - 1615 Pisco, Aperol, Marmalade, Pink Grapefruit Juice, Lemon Juice & Egg White

Mamacita - El Jimador Tequila, Cointreau, Lime Juice, Agave Syrup, Fresh Jalapeno

Soon, we were overrun by plates. Arriving first, Jalea Mixto (Tempura Baby Squid, Prawns & Cod with Pickled Jalapeno Mayo) was worth ordering just for the sauce - hold on to that bowl.  

Two ceviche plates appeared soon after - The Spaniard (Sea Bream & King Prawn Ceviche with Tomato & Brown Crab Tiger's Milk, Red Onion, Coriander, Plantain & Crispy Chorizo) and Senor Ceviche himself (Sea Bream & Octopus Ceviche with Aji Amarillo Tiger's Milk, Sweet Potato Puree, Avocado & Tempura Baby Squid).  The Spaniard edged it thanks to some subtle smokiness, but both are fine examples of the genre.  

Mr Miyagi (Salmon Tiradito with Nikkei Tiger's Milk, Pomegranate, Purple Shiso & Salmon Scratchings) sounds like a winner but will have to wait for a second visit.

The Spaniard - Sea Bream & King Prawn Ceviche with Tomato & Brown Crab Tiger's Milk, Red Onion, Coriander, Plantain & Crispy Chorizo

Senor Ceviche - Sea Bream & Octopus Ceviche with Aji Amarillo Tiger's Milk, Sweet Potato Puree, Avocado & Tempura Baby Squid

Jalea Mixto - Tempura Baby Squid, Prawns & Cod with Pickled Jalapeno Mayo

Peruvian Barbecue plates followed, starting with a moreish Flat Iron Steak with Aji Limo & Chimmichurri - one not to miss.  The same goes for the Anticucho de Corazón de Res - Grilled Beef Heart Skewers with Sweet Potato Mayonnaise, Aji Panca, Bojita Olives & Mint.  If that sounds too adventurous, go for some Pachamanca Pork Ribs with sticky Nikkei BBQ sauce and peanuts. Yum yum.  

Despite being stuffed, Fabrizia somehow talked me in to a Passion Fruit Posset palate cleanser.  It's sharp and fresh, and large enough to share.  Alternatively, you could finish off with their Pisco-based Lima Espresso Martini.

Flat Iron Steak with Aji Limo & Chimmichurri

Anticucho de Corazón de Res - Grilled Beef Heart Skewers with Sweet Potato Mayonnaise, Aji Panca, Bojita Olives & Mint

Passion Fruit Posset

There's plenty to enjoy at Senor Ceviche, both from the bar and the open kitchen, and it won't break the bank (depending on how many £8 cocktails you put away).  Go with a group and work your way through the whole menu.

Mon–Thu: 12pm–12am, Fri-Sat: 12pm-12.30am, Sun: 12pm-11am

1st Floor, Kingly Court, London, W1B 5PW

Senor Ceviche - senor-ceviche.com

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Now for an update on two of my favourite bars - Merchant House and Bermondsey Arts Club.

 

First up, the team at Merchant House in Bank have launched a stylish Summer Spritz Bar in their ground floor space that also doubles as a rare & vintage spirits shop.

According to Nate, Lewis & co., it will be open "from midnight to sundown, Tuesday through Friday".  The magnificent and ever so slightly rowdy Carey is in charge, serving up very affordable £5 aperitivo cocktails made with the finest booze to a live jazz soundtrack.  There won't be a better Negroni for a fiver in London, though you can always splash out on a £20 Timeless Negroni made with vintage bottles if you are feeling fancy.  

Other drinks include Il Bacio (Strawberry, Passionfruit, Fernet), Sbagliato (Vermouth, Campari, Fizz) and a Duppy Share Rum Punch (check out their Spirit Social events).  You'll find me at the bar with an Americano (Cocchi di Torino, Campari, Soda) trying to convince Carey to open up the premium bottles.

In a city with increasingly overpriced food and drink, this is a real win for Londoners and an absolutely essential Summer stop.

Summer Spritz Bar at Merchant House - www.merchanthouselondon.com

Open from Midday - Sundown, Tue - Fri, throughout the Summer

13 Well Court, Off Bow Lane, London, EC4M 9DN

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In other bar news, basement boozer Bermondsey Arts Club has just released a new Summer cocktail list.  It's been created by two of my favourite bartenders, Milo Occhipinti & Jake Johari, who recently stepped up to a BAC management role (i.e. they do less work, wear fancier clothes and control the iPod - Snarky Puppy all the way).

It's a 4x4 menu of classic Aperitif, Straight-Up, Short and Long drinks with tweaks and twists such as their subtle Boulevardier (Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Campari) with coffee beans (mostly on the nose).  Planter's Punch is another winner, with nutmeg and Bittermens 'Elemakule Tiki bitters elevating the rum and lime classic.

Boulevardier - Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Campari, Coffee Beans

Planter's Punch - Dark Rum, Lime, Nutmeg, Tiki Bitters

Here's a few words on the new list from Milo:

"Bizarre and quirky mixology is dead and buried - classic drinks that withstood the test of time are making a comeback. Classic drinks with classic twists - that's what we've gone for, from the Sidecar made with a New Orleans blend of Cognac and Rye, to the Paloma with Jalapeño Bitters.  You'll also spot my Italian roots in the Rossini, Select Spritzer, Mi-To & co., showcasing old school Italian aperitifs and bitters that our industry was built upon.

"We are paying tribute to the legends of the past - those who started mixing drinks a hundred years ago when bartending meant pouring whisk(e)y. We salute them with this menu, because there is no need to invent, just to remember. As we like to say, we are standing on the shoulders of giants."

Bermondsey Arts Club - bermondseyartsclub.co.uk

Tuesday - Saturday - 6pm - 2am

Former Public Conveniences

102A Tower Bridge Road

London SE1 4TP

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P.S. Check out Milo's nutty "Caffe Corretto" bartending videos on YouTube here

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After all that booze, we should probably talk about hangovers. Or rather, hangover prevention. Let me introduce you to Ohayo.

Email readers click here to watch the awesome Ohayo video

Ohayo ("good morning" in Japanese) is a cheeky new bottled beverage (£3 a pop) packed full of B vitamins, electrolytes and other clever things that you need for rehydration and restoration after a night on the sauce.  

For it to work, it should be the last drink of the night, giving the body a night's sleep to reabsorb the essentials.  Remembering to use it is harder said than done of course, depending on how much absinthe and overproof rum you've consumed.  Thankfully, Ohayo have got you covered with a glow-in-the-dark bottle and a bright, removable sticker.

I put it to work in Paris after a mezcal-heavy bar crawl around Pigalle and woke up feeling considerably fresher than everyone else.  If you need more convincing, check out these articles:

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"The Holy Grail of an elixir to cure hangovers could be here" - Bar Magazine

"Happier Morning After" - Imbibe Magazine

"The Lowdown : Ohayo" - The Times

"Hair of the Gods" - Le Cool

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You can now buy Ohayo online here in packs of 3, 6 or 12 bottles.

Tomorrow says THANK YOU!

ohayotomorrow.com

The Cocktail Trading Co. - Merchant House - The Bottle Shop Popup / Love and Scandal

Bar, bar, popup, have you any booze?

Yes sir, Yes sir, booze booze booze.

Tuesday 27th January - Kicking off post #200 (hooray!) is The Cocktail Trading Co. (Development Bar and Table) - catchy.

Three of the bar world's finest and funnest - is this a word? - gents have joined forces to take over Central & Co.'s basement bar (previously the quirky but empty & Co.).  Andy Mill, Elliot Ball & Olly Brading are the dream team bringing their combined experience from the likes of London Cocktail Club, Covent Garden Cocktail Club and Steam and Rye to the development bar and table.

If you manage to grab one of the handful of tables, you'll soon find yourself stuffing your face with monkey nuts whilst trying to read from their adorable little cocktail booklets in very low, funky light. I'm usually keen to sit up at the bar to maximise bartender face time, but they really work the room well at CTC so this isn't a problem.

The booklet eases you in gently with Clover Clubs, Bellinis and Margaritas (perhaps not needed in the menu?) before getting on to their bonkers house drinks.

I started with a Sauvignon Private Ryan served in a ration tin with dog tags.  Calvados, Dry Sherry and Sauvignon Blanc combine to good effect here alongside lemon juice and cardamom & passionfruit syrup, without tipping too far in to sweet territory.  Next up was the super Scout's Honour, a Tommy's Margarita twist with smoked marshmallow syrup in place of agave, served with roasted marshmallows and a tin of scouting essentials.  Then came 欢迎到肯塔基州, a combo of Bourbon, Ginger & Plum, Yuzu Juice and Matcha Tea, presented in a noodle soup box topped with chopstick straws and edible noodle crisps.  The Chinese name on the website printed above translates as "Welcome to Kentucky" but the characters in the cocktail booklet say something closer to "Sexy Dolphins", so be careful...  

The fun continues with more boozy creations appearing in wellies, upturned bells and urns. Nutty presentation normally comes with a hefty price tag, but CTC keeps everything in the reasonable £8-9 region.

Sauvignon Private Ryan

For Whom The Bell Bols

Many of the house drinks are a little on the sweet side for me though, so I started going off-menu, which isn't a problem at all when there are top bartenders queuing up to try something else. Highlights included The Last Call (a twist on The Last Word with smoky mezcal replacing the gin), and a sublime Negroni made with Martin Miller's Westbourne Gin and the new Belthazar Red Vermouth which seems to be hugely popular with the trade.

Quirky house drinks, classics, shots, good tunes and great staff all add up to create a lively, little party bar that Soho will welcome with open arms.  As I was leaving, many more sessions were just starting, and I'm glad I squeezed in a quick shot with the wonderful Wilkes on the way out - cheers!

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Wednesday 28th January - Bar #2 on the blog today is Merchant House, a hidden gem in the City from the reliable London Bar Consultants.  Compared to CTC's tiny basement, Merchant House is an underground palace, centred around a magnificent bar stocked with an outrageous range of rum and gin (amongst other things).

First you have to find it though, and that requires knowing the backstreets of Bank pretty well.  Then you'll walk through their door in to The Pantry, a currently unmanned room full of booze which is soon to become their shop for showing off lesser known and vintage spirits amongst other delights. Try not to get distracted and head downstairs to the main bar where you will most probably be greeted by Nate or Lewis, the London Bar Consultants themselves.

It was a busy evening when we popped in, with a private party on one side, a Gin Journey group on another, and various tables set up for a D1 Gin masterclass.  The hilarious Hebe looked after us all evening, keeping us thoroughly entertained (and watered) in our cosy corner.

House drinks are around the £12.50 mark which may put some off, but they are all made with premium ingredients (by excellent bartenders), and Merchant House favour a boozy 8:2:1 ratio in most of the cocktails to allow their fine spirits to shine.  We kicked off with two glorious pre-bottled numbers which will eventually be available to buy (or refill) upstairs.  

The Red Dragon is the perfect vehicle for Diplomatico Exclusiva Reserva, a fabulous, affordable rum.  It's masterfully supported by Cocchi di Torino, house curacao, and orange and spiced chocolate bitters, making it an all-booze affair.  It's serious and unmissable. 

The Red Dragon

On a similar theme, The Chocolate Negroni is worth every penny, making great use of brand new 58 Gin (big fan), Belthazar Red Vermouth (told you it's everywhere), and bitters, with a chocolate covered cherry subtly adding cocoa-based bitterness to the drink.  Note to drinkers - the cherry probably has a stone in.  Tim found out the hard way.

The Chocolate Negroni

We moved off house drinks after that, trying out simple and sweet 58 Gin Bergamot Gimlets and a marvellous Mezcal Martinez concoction that I'm definitely going to attempt at home.

58 Bergamot Gimlet

As we sipped on our cocktails, the owners of D1 London Gin made their way around the room, providing tasters of their stylish gin, alongside some fine examples of it in the field including a Dry Martini, a Hanky Panky (still unconvinced by Fernet) and a G&T.  Merchant House run many (often complimentary) masterclasses which you simply have to reserve a space for - check their website regularly for event updates.  

You can also join The Connoisseur's Collective member's club for only £50 which I highly recommend. As well as granting you access to special events, you also get a shot of whatever spirit features in your cocktail on the side every time.  Win.

D1 London Gin Masterclass - one of many free events at Merchant House

You can't go wrong at Merchant House.  Set aside an evening, and some cash, and make yourself comfortable.  They'll do the rest.

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Friday 29th January - Last but not least, here are some photos from an all too brief craft beer pop-up from The Bottle Shop folk at Love & Scandal on Lower Marsh. I had hoped it would be around for longer (that's tonight's plan out the window), but a little bird tells me that The Bottle Shop are hoping to announce an exciting new partnership soon.  Keep an eye on @BottleShopPop for the latest news.

UPDATE: I rocked up to Love and Scandal last night (13/2), and they are keeping it as a bar in the evenings, with a fine selection of cans and bottles provided by The Bottle Shop.  They aim to bring in some taps soon, and they are working on a proper food menu having recently sorted out a kitchen downstairs.  It's a very pleasant, relaxed spot for a few drinks near Waterloo, providing the Young Vic and Scooter Caffe with some much needed competition.  I've also just seen a pretty good looking brunch menu on Twitter today, so they are worth keeping tabs on.