Advertising themselves as a bar which combines 'all the romance of a Victorian country estate with the hedonistic edge of a 19th century Gin Palace', Lost Angel's premise seems to trip off the tongue very nicely indeed. Being an unashamed gin junkie, I was very eager to see if this Battersea bar lived up to it's rich promises.
The Venue
On entry, the bar is just as decadent and opulent as its slogan would suggest. There's dark green banquettes, deep red velvet curtains, vintage trinkets and oversized portraits in gilded frames watching over proceedings. I was intent on heading to the beer garden. It's stunning by the way; with its greenery covered trellis and squishy sofas, there couldn't be a better place in Battersea for chilling with some cocktails on a sunny day.
White telephone boxes and trombone light fittings add to the quirkiness of this cool Battersea Bar.
The Ambience and Clientele
The staff at Lost Angel do their bit to continue the image of a bygone era gin palace. Cool, young and unpretentious, the clientele are a mix of jean-clad casual drinkers and others who've dolled themselves up in dresses and heels, all mixing freely throughout. The Friday evening started quiet and chilled, but the noise rises incrementally as the minutes tick on and the music is cranked up for more of an end-of-week party atmosphere.
Lost Angel's garden bar is the place to go for chilled summer evenings.
The Drinks
After calling themselves a '19th Century gin palace', it would be a bit dry if they didn't have a strong list of gins. Thankfully they have an impressive 17-strong list of gins as well as an entire section of the menu dedicated to Gin Palace cocktails. In the name of research we tried quite a few and their £5 cocktail happy hour until 9pm certainly helped them slip down a little smoother.
First up was the Cucumber Gimlet, a simple concoction made with Hendricks gin, cucumber, elderflower, and lime. Minimal ingredients let the flavour combinations really shine making it the perfect refreshing drink to start off a summer evening. The Englishman's Refresher was another favourite. A sort of British, gin-based Mojito, the mint leaves, orange bitters and marmalade added a nice tang and an interesting new way of drinking the mother's ruin. However, don't underestimate them! The cocktails are dark horses and are just as lethal as they are tasty.
Lost Angel's speciality lies in their potent range of cocktails served in coupe glasses.
Summary
All the elements of Lost Angel combine to create a venue that is charmingly contradictory. Despite their opulent furnishings and quality cocktails, they still retain a relaxed and informal vibe which keeps the trendy Clapham crowd coming back for more. I, for one, will definitely be back for their Bloody Mary Sundays. £15 live music and all you can drink Bloody Marys? Yes please! Plus you can throw is a roast dinner for an extra £10, bargain.
