The newest member of London Cocktail Club in Islington has been calling me for a while. With no will power left, I embarked down Essex Road for a taste of their new hangout and menu.
The Venue
A discreet white plus sign hangs above LCC’s threshold on Essex Road making passer byers believe it to be some sort of late night pharmacy. However people in the know will know it as London Cocktail Club, a late night party bar.
The space, if compared to its other sister bars, can be considered quite small. Having said that, it’s very cosy, a nice date spot if you will. Trade mark swinging lights can be seen above the bar, don’t be surprised if you see the bartenders pushing the lights towards you; it’s all part of the LCC experience. It might be considered a health hazard to some, but God damn it’s fun. A few questionable objects are dotted around the venue. For instance I spotted a rubber chicken sitting comfortably on the top shelf between some spirit bottles. I’m not entirely sure how this ties in with their pharmacy theme but hey, each to their own. If you don’t believe me why not visit and spot more of their out of place nick knacks.
Broody with a dash of speakeasy, LCC Islington continues its dark, cocktail charm.
Food and Drink
LCC recently revamped their cocktail menu, adding some new, exciting additions and regrettably removing some of my favourites (like the Fortune Cookie). As the saying goes, don’t fix what isn’t broken. But not to worry; there are plenty of whimsical creations to keep myself and a hedonistic crowd coming back time and time again.
To kick start the evening me and my companions ordered the Porn Star Martini. It’s a well-known fact that I have a soft spot for this creation, well amongst my drinking buddies at least. It’s the ideal opening cocktail for a night of debauchery yet many places seem to degrade its sweet taste by adding too much syrup or puree. Not London Cocktail Club though; they served it with a perfect balance of flavours and a more than full shot of prosecco.
We then ordered the Apple Smash, firstly because anything with a fruit mentioned in the title had and has to be counted as one of your five a day and secondly, well…it came with a custard cream. The moreish cocktail was presented in a quirky makeshift jam jar making it one of the most instagrammable cocktails I’ve ever seen.
Quirks and colour make LCC Islington cocktails the masterpieces that they are.
Clientele and Atmosphere
Luckily one table was left for me and my girlfriends when we arrived at LCC, and for 7.30pm on a Thursday night the place was fairly lively. Either side of us were groups of girls laughing, chatting and getting into the party spirit. Duplicate cocktail glasses littered almost every table as the 2 for £12 cocktail happy hour lasts until 8pm.
As for the music, the venues playlist was hands down ROCKING. No soppy love stuff here, just feel good tunes that in hindsight, probably left me looking ridiculous as I wiggled my bum on the venues leather couch. The music and dark lighting definitely worked together to produce a buoyant atmosphere helping people unwind and relax.
Jumping even on a Thursday night, LCC Islington is a haven for top drinks and great music.
Conclusion
I was never one for change, so much so that I refused to buy a DVD as I was too loyal to my beloved VCR player but LCC have convinced me that change can be good. Although they changed their menu, they still have all the attributes for a slick night on the town. Cocktails are top quality, the music has the ability to make you dance like Chandler from Friends and the staff are super friendly. My opinion on LCC Islington? It’s a big thumbs up.
