11/11/2023 0 Comments European bartender school![]() ![]() The Painter's is a lovely place to while away an hour or so, the pale pink onyx of the counter as luminous as Venus in her scallop shell, with cornetto wall lights and the metal Paris Metro-like skylight above holding an intricately rolled Deco chandelier. It’s an Art Deco lozenge of a space, carved out between the ballroom and the Talking Heads gallery of portraits (hence Kristin’s appearance) and means you can now bar-hop your way around the Mayfair hotel, from its original drinking hole to the Fumoir and then here. The directions will make sense when you visit Claridge’s elegant new drinking den, anyway. Turn left through the lobby, turn right when you meet the rocking zebra then turn left when you see Kristin Scott Thomas. The Apple Star was our favorite: a refreshing, sweet-but-sour short drink containing JJ Whitley Gin, apple cordial, lime and Amaretto. ![]() It's the cocktails that steal the show- ingredients change depending on the season, and the mixologists use lots of fresh spices, fruits and edible flowers. Printed menus hand-tied with string contain carefully crafted cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) as well as plenty of wines and beer. Take a seat on a leopard-print bar stool with gnarled metal legs inspired by tree branches, or in an alcove lined with velvet sofas and distressed leather chairs. Francesco Boglione’s art collection of contemporary botanical paintings lines the walls, the sleek bar is made up of hundreds of hand-dipped bronze leaves, and there are dried flower displays and foliage on almost every surface. Enter through a red velvet curtain for interiors inspired by the horticulture roots of the family. In the heart of Covent Garden, this cozy drinking den is the latest venture from the Boglione family, founders of Petersham Nurseries. Not a cocktail person? Not to worry, the Paradise: After Dark team provided the perfect list of dry whites and light reds to accompany the spices of the menu. The nutty Ghee flavour complimented the gin beautifully, making for a distinctive taste. And lastly, the bartender offered us an off-the-menu Ghee Martin - the most interesting of the three. Next: Rambutan and Curry Leaf Daquiri, a drink that tasted as good as it looked with hints of curry leaf and paired perfectly with the fruity sweetness of Rambutan. The smokey flavor of the cardamom paired perfectly with the coffee, creating a more interesting take on a classic cocktail while ensuring it didn’t cross into the too-sweet territory it so often does. I ordered three cocktails throughout the evening, each as unique and exciting as the last. The team values detail, and their passion is evident as each mixture (singing with the flavors of Dom Fernando's childhood in Sri Lanka) is concocted with the utmost care. Meticulous is the word that comes to mind when I think of the cocktails at Paradise: After Dark.
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