Latest opening: Velvet
What: A swish new bar in the equally swish Corinthia London. Velvet takes the place of the Whitehall hotel’s former bar Bassoon and serves cocktails ‘that balance references to a bygone era with a modern approach to mixology’ alongside a concise menu of bar food.
Who: Legendary bartender Salvatore Calabrese is overseeing Velvet. Known simply as ‘The Maestro’ in bar circles, Calabrese has been mixing drinks for over 40 years and is one of the world’s most high profile bartenders (quite possible the most). Originally from Italy, he arrived in London in 1980 and soon shook up the capital's cocktail and bar scene, creating the Ultimate Dry Martini and the concept of 'liquid' history (AKA the flamboyant serving of venerable Cognacs) at Dukes Bar before going on to work at other renowned establishments in the capital. Latterly, he concentrates on his consultancy business for drinks brands and bars but still runs The Donovan Bar at Mayfair’s Brown’s Hotel. Overseeing Velvet day-to-day is bar manager Christian Maspes, whose CV includes the The Churchill in Marylebone and Quaglino's in St James's.
The vibe: While its name might bring to mind a provincial 80s nightclub, the look and feel of Velvet is about as far away from that as one can imagine. Accurately described by Calabrese as “seductive and intimate”, the early 20th Century-inspired space has been given a complete overhaul by high-profile design agency David Collins Studio. Design details include the eponymous deep velvet curtains, furniture upholstered in shades of red and royal blue, convex mirrors and commissioned artwork by Robson Stannard that flank a central marble fireplace.
To drink: The cocktail selection features some of Calabrese’s best-know creations including the Breakfast Martini and the Spicy Fifty. The first section of the cocktail list is split into 1920s classics and modern era cocktails, with options from the former including Bee’s Knees (Tanqueray No.10, lemon juice and honey) and options from the latter including the Truffle Sazerac (truffled Rémy Martin VSOP, Bulleit Bourbon, Peychaud and Salty Orange Bitters and umami syrup). There are also a range of ‘vintage’ cocktails made with liquids that were distilled many decades ago, including a Sidecar made from Hine cognac and Cointreau produced in the 1930s (£350).
The food: Prepared by Roux Scholarship winner André Garrett within the kitchen that feeds The Northall, the menu is light but big on punchy flavours. Options include vegetable tempura with fennel seeds and dashi ponzu; salmon sashimi with crispy baby gem heart, sushi rice, nori and chipotle mayonnaise; truffled croque monsieur with 24-month aged Comté, Wiltshire honey roast ham and confit egg yolk; and buttermilk-fried Norfolk chicken with sesame, gochujang chilli and pickled ginger.
And another thing: Those that thought the Sidecar sounded punchy may be interested to learn that Calabrese is responsible for the world’s most expensive cocktail, mixed at The Playboy Club in Mayfair and sold for a staggering £5,500 per glass. Calabrese is also credited with creating the world’s oldest cocktail: Salvatore’s Legacy contains rare liqueurs with a combined age of 730 years.
