Back up on the Roof - The East Room Roof Garden

One of the challenges of writing a blog dedicated to your nightlife is avoiding repetition. Despite the fact that there are thousands of bars, restaurants and pubs in London town it stands to reason that you won't visit them all And of course there are some that become favourites, often merely for the reason that they are close to where you work or live, that you visit time and again. And there are places that you love, and with that busy London work thing going on, these are where you go to for that after work 'breather'. For my good self this includes close to home favourites like the Florence and Prince Regent in Herne Hill, and great funky pubs such as The Golden Heart and Ten Bells in Shoreditch. And sometimes a place is so good that you actually part with hard earned cash and become a lifetime member, and it is the East Rooms, part of Milk and Honey group.
And so with the recent weeks of glorious sunshine the Northerner, Heavy D and I have been making the most of that membership. Assuming that you like roof garden bars - and I have yet to meet anyone that doesn't - there are several things that make the East Room's stand out. It's a working functioning garden - they grow herbs, fruit and the like up there which they serve in the restaurant downstairs. On sunny evenings they crank up the best BBQ I've come across in London town, which given my Antipodean heritage is saying something. It's probably a combination of very good ingredients (burgers, sweet corn, sausages, marinated chicken etc), and a man who actually cooks, rather then burns or heats food, that makes the food so memorable. It also has a 24 hour licence in the weekends which means that it’s full to its brim with party people whom, despite being part of a members club, are surprisingly friendly. But then I guess most people are after record temperature hot days, an Ashes victory and several ice-cold beers.
There’s probably no need for me to say anything else about this place as not only is it so popular that membership is about to be or is already closed, but I also have a small army of ‘friends’ queuing up to join me for drinks there. And trust me; it isn’t because of my conversation. One word of warning – this place is so good that Heavy himself – a man who parts with money as willingly as the All Blacks do a rugby world cup - is thinking of joining. You have been warned.

Ketel One at the East Room, Shoreditch

When I think of the Dutch, I think Van Gogh, liberalised Amsterdam,and the beautiful football But not vodka - that's a product which I primarily associate with the the frozen triumvirate of of Russia, Poland and Sweden, despite the recent best efforts of outsiders such as NZ.

So when The East Room, the bar that is part of the Milk and Honey group which in a moment madness decided to make me a member, invited me and a guest to a tasting evening of the Ketel One Vodka I was more then a little intrigued.

Having only ever been to wine tastings before my partner in crime the Big D and I were unsure of the form for the evening. Does one sip? Quaff? Spit even? Fortunately we just drank, and drank, and drank. Several things were offered our way, the memory of which is a little hazy, but classic vodka martini, vodka sours, and a couple of wonderful grapefruit and lime based concoctions all hit the spot. We also agreed to do a 'blind' tasting comparing a 'common' brand, a premium brand, and finally Ketel, which, much to our hosts relief, we agreed was the best of the products on offer.

So what's actually good about it? Well the first vodka, which was a well known Swedish brand was like rocket fuel in 'nose' and to drink. The second, a premium French / American brand, was much smoother and palatable. But Ketel, actually had a taste, dare I say flavour which was pretty damned good.

However Big D wasn't so convinced and thought that I had succumbed to the power of suggestive marketing and ambience - the charming hosts dressed as thirties style gents, perfectly complemented the speakeasy nature of the East Room. And he may have a point, but I will say if I had to drink a straight vodka, Ketel would be first on my list.

Apparently the brand, which has been around for 300 years derives its unique flavour from the copper pots its fermented in. Exactly how that transpires into a good thing, I'm not sure. Nevertheless a nice little session, with a very nice and very big, vodka.