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150 Amazing Destinations Day Photo: © Antelope Media Solutions.
Amazing Destinations 151 &Night Continuing our series of seasonal reviews, Day & Night is your exclusive invitation to the eclectic range of events that the Amazing Destinations team have recently attended. We’ve got a bumper offering for you in this issue covering the Spring and Summer and including immersive experiences, posh festivals, rooftop bars and stylish restaurants. Here’s a look at what we did from spring to summer. Featuring The Henley Festival Savage Garden Rooftop Bar TOZI Grand Café, Battersea Zoom East Kitchen & Bar Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Bar Mamma Mia: The Party Glasshouse on the Roof at NYX Hotel Flight Club Moonshine Saloon Compiled by Julie Paice. Written by Martin Mason
152 Amazing Destinations Savage Garden
Amazing Destinations 153 The Henley Festival Henley Festival was set up in 1982 as a charity whose mission is to stage an unforgettable music and arts festival for the local community and this mission has remained the same since. Held on the iconic site of the Royal Regatta (which happens the week before) The annual Henley Festival transforms the Thames riverbank into a glamorous wonderland and this year the boutique black tie and evening dress event did not disappoint. We joined the well-heeled party on the first day where Rag ‘N’ Bone man took to the floating stage and gave an epic performance to kick off the festival. There was a wide range of dining and drinking options to indulge in, from riverside fine dining to grazing, plus a wealth of bars throughout the site serving crafted cocktails, beers and of course, champagne. It’s a surreal, but fun experience to sit crossed leg on lawn in a tuxedo whilst knocking back Nachos. A terrific display off fireworks brought the wonderful evening to a close www. henley-festival.co.uk Savage Garden Rooftop Bar Opened in 2018 and located on the 12th floor of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Tower Hill, Savage Garden occupies a space that was once home to the SkyLounge. This sexy London terrace offers incredible views over the capital’s most famous landmarks including The Shard and Tower Bridge. Needless to say, the cocktails are anything but ordinary. We delighted in tipples such as ‘Boleyn’s Kiss ’ and ‘Crown Jewells,’ and could spot a recurring theme of royal temptation mixed with boozy luxury. The savoury nibbles and food from the bar menu are also excellent. We tried the pancetta mac and cheese bon bons, ‘bang bang cauliflower and pulled duck bao buns. you’re in the mood for incredible views, tasty food and quirky cocktails, then Savage Gardens is definitely where you should go. It’s heaven. www.savagegarden.co.uk Day &Night: Round up
154 Amazing Destinations Tozi Grand Cafe
Amazing Destinations 155 Zoom East Kitchen & Bar Zoom East Kitchen and bar is one of the latest additions to the growing restaurant scene in Aldgate East, East London. Located on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place London City East Hotel, the contemporary interiors feature multicoloured artwork, lush greenery, and white and black geometric flooring. The straightforward menu offers up favourite Southern Italian dishes for diverse tastes. There are antipasti from the deli and small plates like fritto misto and arancini. There’s also a selection of pizza and pasta dishes ranging from wild boar pappardelle to a vegetarian pizza with artichokes, courgettes, and aubergines. On the wine list, there are naturally plenty of Sicilian bottles but wines from other regions are available too. Everything we had was well prepared, fresh and intimately served from a friendly and experienced team. Zoom East brings together authentic, flavoursome food and a space that’s oozing with style. Italian food fans visiting east London shouldn’t miss this. www.hyattrestaurants.com TOZI Grand Café Named after the Venetian for ‘a group of friends’, this elegant Italian restaurant takes its design cues from grand cafés of Europe. With impressive floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the Grade II Power Station, the TOZI Grand Cafe has a modern and artsy feel. The interior has been designed by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon and his contemporary tapestries are dotted along the windows.Guests can choose from an aperitivo menu that includes barrel aged Negronis, Bellinis or seasonal spritzes, as well as an all-Italian wine list, perfectly matched to the food offering. We kicked things off with a signature Olive oil Negroni, a great twist on an old classic where negroni is infused for seven days with olive oil. For main courses, we chose the pappardelle with braised wild boar and the veal Milanese with marinated tomatoes and rocket. As expected with good Italian food, the veal was perfectly prepared, crispy on the outside but tender within. The pasta dish will appeal to both Italians and Brits alike. Service was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The waiter’s wine pair of Velluto valpolicella classico was a great choice. This impressive restaurant is a great venue for couples or a meet with friends who have a love for authentic of Italian food. Wherever you are seated, there will be interesting art to look at and lovely food to indulge in. www.tozigrandcafe.co.uk
156 Amazing Destinations Alcotraz
Amazing Destinations 157 Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Bar Ever thought of putting yourself through the lock-up and the mean-spirited authority of no-nonsense prison guards? Well, the Alcotraz Bar Experience will answer that question in one wild and thoroughly enjoyable immersive experience. Located a short walk from Hoxton tube station, upon arrival you are ordered to put on an orange jumpsuit with individual prison numbers on them. You meet the guards and a warden and consigned to a dark cell, each cell holds up to 6 cell mates and the entire venue can incarcerate up to 40 people. Alcotraz requires you to bring your own spirit to the experience. This can be any spirit you and your group enjoy (as long as it’s in a sealed bottle) and this will be used as the main liquor for all the concoctions made during your stretch. If each person takes a different spirit, then you will have a greater variety of tipples. We were instructed to stay within our cells unless we needed to use the bathroom. whilst the imposing Warden strolls past interacting with prisoners, imparting his religious beliefs and checking for contraband. If you do break any rules, it’s the punishment block for you! The prisoners (mixologists) grab your alcohol then go to the bar to make your group the cocktails. You get four rounds of drinks throughout the evening, our group managed to smuggle in vodka, gin and whisky. Each cocktail tasted fabulous, and the service is fun, friendly and fast. The experience of Alcotraz is theatrical and immersive and a great value day out for group of friends. Just don’t forget your prison number or you’ll suffer the consequences. www.alcotraz.co.uk Mamma Mia! The Party The O2 is home to ‘Nikos Taverna’, a purpose-built set for this musical experience inspired by the popular Mamma Mia! films. Originally opening in Stockholm in 2016, the London production debuted in 2019 and has been a contender for the best night out in London ever since. It’s hard to describe Mamma Mia! The Party. Is it a musical? Dining experience? Party? Or disco? The answer is all of the above. It is a fabulous four-course feast and a truly immersive experience. The show’s plot is a loosely based narrative about Nikos and his family-run taverna with British wife Kate staying on the island of Skopelos in Greece (where the original Mamma Mia! movie was filmed). But it's mainly used as an easy excuse to segue into ABBA’s greatest hits. The waiters dance and sing along with the action and serve a menu that’s straight out of Greece. From the mezze platter starter to the mains and desserts (plus some good vegan options), everything is delicious, and service is friendly, fast and attentive. We smiled from start to finish, we laughed, sang our hearts out and danced – and so did everyone else. This is one party you don’t want to miss. www.mammamiatheparty.co.uk
158 Amazing Destinations Glasshouse on The Roof
Amazing Destinations 159 Flight Club Shoreditch Perched by the Old Street roundabout, Flight Club Shoreditch is located on the boundary of the City and Shoreditch and was the first of their four venues to open in London (with ten sites nationawide). These super popular sites have taken the pastime to a luxurious new level, with a of twist of technology to smooth things along. In a venue which combines leather and wood with fairground lighting and industrial metal screens each board sits under the gaze of three precision cameras, which collectively identify the location of each dart thrown with sub-millimetre accuracy. With a variety of challenges available, darts has never been this fun. You can play each game as little or as often as you like, losing track of time and completely losing yourself in the buzzing atmosphere. Food and drinks can be ordered straight to the oche, and everything we tried was delicious and reasonably priced. There are two menus: one for lunch and another for sharing, based around salads, burgers, fries, pizzas and meat-based dishes. Flight Club is a great group experience, expertly combining good food with the fun and competition of darts, all amongst a warm and relaxed atmosphere and welcoming staff. It definitely hits the target. And don't forget to grab a cocktail or two at the bar! www.flightclubdarts.com/locationshoreditch Glasshouse On The Roof At The NYX With a skyline as beautiful as London’s there’s nothing better than gazing out over the city with a cocktail in hand. So, we needed no excuse to head over to NYX Hotel London Holborn to discover The Glasshouse. Already one of our favourite spots, The flamboyant NYX is a four-minute walk from Holborn Tube Station, half a mile from Covent Garden and just a 12-minute walk from Tottenham Court Road station. Standing 10 stories up and 125 feet high The Glasshouse rooftop bar is perched atop the hotel and offers dazzling views of the city. The glass walls of the rooftop bar allow you to gaze out at the London skyline with a retractable rooftop which can switch the vibe between open-air evenings, or intimate cosy nights. A wide range of gin & tonics, beer, ciders and wine is available, but we were here for the cocktails, and they didn’t disappoint. Highlights included The Glasshouse Sidecar with Courvoisier, lemon, galliano l’authentico and grand marnier and The Sting Star with Midori melon liqueur, fresh mint, lemon juice and sugar syrup. Whether you want to soak up the sun on a warm day or gaze at the stars on a glittering evening, the Glasshouse has you covered. www.nyx-hotels.co.uk/glasshouse
160 Amazing Destinations Moonshine Saloon Always on the prowl for moonshine, we rounded up the team, saddles up and headed on over to the city to discover The Moonshine Saloon which conveniently located within a short walk of Liverpool Street and Aldgate train stations, this immersive experience invites you to spend an evening drinking amongst fellow cowboys in a clandestine saloon where you will be part of a cowboy story. Smuggling in your own liquor is expected. Just make sure it’s up to scratch, if you mean business in this here place.Once, suited and Stetson-ed up we were given exclusive access into the shadiest spirit making business and welcomed into the venue. Once seated, moonshiners can try their hand at card and dice games, share their wildest stories of life in the wild west and enjoy their personalised moonshine cocktails. The saloon’s talented moonshine pros (aka the mixologists) were on hand to create special cocktails with the choice of liquor that you have brought along. Get into character and hide from the sheriff as you enjoy a night of drinking cocktails in a lively atmosphere. The Moonshine Saloon Cocktail Experience is perfect for anyone looking for something quirky to do in the capital. The cast were engaging, the cocktails were fabulous, and service was fast and attentive. Whether it’s a group of friends or family, the Moonshine Saloon will keep you entertained as you’re surrounded by a movie worthy multi-room experience. www.moonshinesaloon.com Moonshine Saloon
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