After a year in lockdown, ‘a dressy night out in Soho’ is a pretty daunting prospect. But in the space of an hour I retaught myself how to apply makeup, dug out an outfit I completely forgot I had and headed to 100 Wardour Street, and what a night it was.
Don't miss the floral installation on your way in.
Throughout its history the building has played host to big-time stars from David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, and as someone who’s heard great things about the venue and aware of its reputation as a Soho institution, it was an evening I entered into with high expectations. What’s all the fuss about? Plenty. We made our way past the cocktail lounge, while sneaking in a quick gawk at its stunning vibrant floral installation, before being ushered down the dramatic spiral staircase and into the dimly lit dance club. Every Thursday some of London’s most talented musicians take to the stage to showcase original songs, and you can almost guarantee that you’ll be leaving the club following one more artist on Spotify than you did before.
The vibe changes downstairs, geared to chatter and live music.
The subterranean space gave off an air of glamour and sophistication while still allowing guests to feel relaxed, which was elevated by the sultry, trance-inducing sounds of the evening’s entertainment. We had the pleasure of being serenaded by Zoe Kypri, an R&B, jazz and soul singer/songwriter from East London, accompanied by a live band.
With music filling the room, my friend and I already mesmerised by the dazzling performance, the only thing that could have made the experience better was an incredible three course meal… queue the starters. The set menu (£35 inc a glass of bubbly) offered options for each course that were pretty tough to choose from, but in the end we decided to initiate the food coma with fried squid with saffron aioli and the mezze platter. As someone who is literally incapable of not ordering fried squid if it ever appears on a menu, I’m a hard person to impress when it comes to the popular seafood dish. Long story short, it’s got to be one of the best versions I’ve had; the soft squid was coated in a perfectly light and flavourful batter, able to hold its own without drenching it in aioli which I think says a lot. The mezze plate was pimped out with tasty dips from beetroot hummus to smoked aubergine, with the fluffy pitta serving as the perfect vehicle for the accompaniments. See as it felt like a night to indulge, we both went with the rib eye steak for mains with harissa mayo and cress salad (£10 suppl). The medium-rare meat was soft and succulent with a slight char on the outside, again overall, one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. For dessert we were won over by the vanilla and lemon thyme crème brûlée and strawberry pavlova.
Food at 100 Wardour Street is delicious and pretty in equal measure.
The DesignMyNight Digest
In a city flooded with amazing restaurants it’s easy to find a destination for dinner, but if you’re looking for more of an experience, well those venues are harder to come by. 100 Wardour Street is well and truly in the bank of places I’d go to book for one of those ‘extra special’ nights out. Offering an affordable evening of decadence and luxury, from the entertainment and unparalleled ambience right down to the faultless plates of food, the hotspot is pretty much the definition of an all-rounder that earns its prestige over and over again.
Book your table at 100 Wardour Street here.
