Smith's on Bayswater, Butcher & Wine Merchant
Editorial
Walking through those same old red doors, images of ghostly wine glasses and carafes now creep up the hall. The walls of the main room are now glossed in a royal purple with silver-dipped light bulbs casting a soft glow and moody shadows across the room as diners glide in to the magnificent long marble bar.
The glass-enclosed courtyard is reminiscent of a greenhouse, an olive tree growing through the centre and baby tomatoes vines crawling along the walls. The little, juicy red balls recall the venue’s signature bloody mary - a mixture of freshly juiced Heirloom tomatoes with Tasmanian pepperberry vodka, the brine of house-pickled jalapeño and a touch of black sauce. Old World cocktails favour the flavours and aromatics of their dark spirits while the New World concoctions are defined by their fruity toppings. In a tribute to the Singapore Sling, the fresh juice of white peach is strained with a pestle and shaken with Apricot vodka and Pimm’s No.1 before being topped with orange bitters and dry ginger.
At this self-proclaimed butcher and wine merchant, everything is done with tradition and ceremony - from the juicing of fresh fruit for cocktails, to the slicing of the meat cut to order and the dress-and-toss of salads right at the table. The Butcher’s Block hosts huge cuts of beef for all to ponder and order by the gram. Straight from the roaring temper of the American Montague broiler which seals in all the natural juices, cuts soon arrive to the table. Maritime flavours and hearty salads also feature on the menu, but it is the land beasts that take focus. Australian and New Zealand wines feature on the beverages list, but extra support is given to drops from local regions of New South Wales.
A 24 hour license is the final ingredient for that late-night Soho feel, allowing those favourite classic cocktails to continue flowing all night.
Edwina Storie, February 2011
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