A pleasant stroll from my office in Soho down to the Embankment reminded us of the south, humid with a warm breeze, as we searched for somewhere to wind down following a brace of rude Bulgarians (I'm sure
Eventually we wound up in Bar Blue, a new cocktail and wine bar built in the reception area of Vinopolis, near London Bridge (in my book at least - although it had been a while since our last Vinopolis visit). The colour scheme is true to its name with deep blue leather couches and stools gathered around the front glass wall.
Suitably wound down at this point we tottered up the river to the Oxo Tower Restaurant (somewhere we've been dying to eat for some time now, but had never managed to get around to organising). Whilst not towering over the river like some of the other restaurants in the city's high rise office buildings the view is suitably spectacular. After a brief aperitif on the balcony to admire it from all angles we were seated just back from the window, my view stretching out over west London past the Post Office Tower and Centre Point,
The later booking worked very well, letting us experience the transformation of the city as the sun goes down and the starscape of lights which fade in to replace it. Some buildings floodlit to show off the architecture, others just leaking light from their inhabitants; all very beautiful none the less. It all rather reminds me why I love living in London.
The setting, glorious; the company, divine. The food and service had a lot to live up to and, having read some rather scathing reviews on london-eating.co.uk it was assumed it could go either way. I should not have worried. The restaurant provided, and in spades.
Making a selection was a challenge in itself, everything on the menu appetising. In the end
For the main course we both selected the venison, served with crushed sweet potato and bacon and a trio of fruit sauces including spiced plum sauce and a sharp berry of some kind (possibly red current). The meat was on the rarer side of medium rare and was succulent and tender but not excessively gamy and was encrusted densely with coarse black pepper on one side. Having made mention of 'fruit driven' and 'peppery' to the sommelier he suggested what turned out to be a very fine Australian shiraz ( Mitolo Savitar Shiraz 2004 ), lots of fruit but tempered with a herbal edge (eucalyptus, so we were told). Heavenly.
Having snacked on almonds at the Blue Bar earlier we didn't have room for desert, but I could manage to squeeze a delicious glass of Dow's 20 y.o. tawny port into the gaps whilst
More evenings should be like this. Memorable enough to inspire me to record them. :)