Based on the original hit bar in Paris, Chinatown has been the new home of The Experimental Cocktail Club. Closely following the original recipe, the French trio behind the bar produced a criminally classy space over two floors, with piano-bar and mirrored ceilings.
After launching in late 2010, The Experimental Cocktail Club London built a good following with the required beautiful clientèle trialling exotic concoctions until the early hours. The main first-floor bar has a classic feel, with oak floors, plush fabrics, gold leaf murals and exposed brickwork.
The gently lit backdrop of minimalist brick walls, mirrored walls and cut-glass tumblers contribute to making the Experimental Cocktail Club London an opulent and cosy bar which, once found, you won’t want to leave.
No doubt the highlights of an evening at the EEC Chinatown are the drinks themselves. They aren’t so experimental, but they’re consistently outstanding and the main cocktails are reasonably priced in comparison to other venues of this style, making choosing what to order an almost impossible task.
Using a cigar-infused bourbon, the Havana cocktail has a strong effect on one’s palate, with the Rag Time, which includes Absinthe, Peychaud’s Bitters and Rittenhouse 100 Rye possibly only for those with higher tolerance to remain standing whilst their liver works overtime.
Experimental Cocktail Club could get a bit tricky to be found, so don’t be surprised if you walk past the bar’s unassuming battered door several times before realising it leads to the buzzing three-floor joint filled with people absorbed in lively chatter.
Many of them will have reserved – it’s a good idea if you don’t want to be left disappointed and standing on Gerrard Street. Still, reservations are not mandatory and they keep half of their capacity for walk-in guests, based on a first-come, first served basis; larger bookings cannot be accommodated during the weekend.
| Address: 13A Gerrard Street, London, W1D 5PS | A £ 5 cover charge is payable at the door after 11 pm. |
| Transport: Leicester Square Station (Piccadilly, Northern) | Open Mon-Sat 6:00pm – 3:00am; Sun 6pm-midnight |
| Reservation: reservation@chinatownecc.com | Website |
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