Christmas cocktails and more to warm your cockles
Conveniently located in the heart of the West End, Mayfair’s ICE BAR is the perfect spot to relax and unwind with a well-earned cocktail after a manic day of festive shopping. The venue has just launched their new Enchanted Terrace – so why not extend the celebrations into the evening? The much-loved bar, now celebrating its 15th anniversary, has seen an exciting new refurbishment and relaunches just in time for us to enjoy some pre-Christmas cheer. The revamp coincides with the unveiling of this year’s ice installation, Valhalla Calling – Valhalla being a “warrior’s paradise” in Norse mythology (we’ll certainly feel like warriors once we’ve escaped those queues). The sculpture is carved out of a whopping 30 tonnes of ice and really is a sight to behold. A veritable winter wonderland, in fact.
If you prefer things a little toastier, within the same venue is The Fire Bar, which boasts a selection of creative cocktails and snacks straight from the Yuu kitchen, and it comes complete with a backdrop of real flames in the bar to warm our cockles on frosty evenings. The comprehensive cocktail list includes Smokin’ Negroni (San Cosme Mezcal, Antica Formula Carpano, Aperol, espresso); Snow Lady (Beefeater Gin, Pimento Dram, strawberry purée, lemon juice, egg white); and Rum Blazer (Havana Especial Rum, crème de framboise liqueur, grenadine syrup, fresh strawberry, fresh blackberry, fresh raspberry, cinnamon powder, served warm).
Yuu Kitchen at the ICE BAR is the third site for head chef Jon de Villa, previously of Nobu London, who has created a menu inspired by his Filipino heritage and his travels across the Asia and the Pacific Rim – impressive stuff. Delectable bites on the Christmas menu include salted edmame, okra fries, spicy tuna tostada and baby back ribs, making the perfect accompaniment to those delicious cocktails.
icebarlondon.com, 31-33 Heddon Street, Mayfair, London W1B 4BN
