Bar Review: The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town
Oh come on, what’s not to like about a bar called The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town? The name lets you know you’re in for a good time even before you step foot over the threshold.
Which is another thing; don’t turn up expecting to find anything as conventional as a door. You see, this recent addition to London’s cocktail scene models itself on a Speakeasy and as such there’s the everyday, acceptable face of the venue - The Breakfast Club on ground level which you enter from the street, and the dimly-lit incognito bar accessed from the fridge. Yes, that’s right - a full-sized, honest looking Smeg model leading to a drinking den below.
Vibe-wise it’s just right: cosy, intimate and fun with four cool looking gals and two guys shaking things up nicely behind the bar. Décor-wise it’s a lazy decorator’s dream: exposed brickwork, industrial pipes and bare concrete floors - all very twisted retro. There are quirky touches too, like the pimped up portrait of ‘Granmaster Flash’ aka The Queen, wearing Snoop-esque gold chains and Dame Edna Everage glasses.
On our visit there was an even split of couples to small groups of varying tribes and ages and no one looked out of place. We tried our requisite dry martinis - nothing special but perfectly nice. Ms S followed up with a Pear Cardomom Sidecar a deliciously aromatic but quite sweet drink combining Xante pear brandy, Grand Marnier, cardamom and lemon. Mr G went for a Negroni and they did a good job - big chunky glass, plenty of ice and a fat piece of orange peel nestling in the middle. Yep, the drinks definitely hit the spot.
What’s the damage?
£7.50 to £8.50
Worth a look because…
It’s pretty damned cool to enter a bar through a fridge.
12-16 Artillery Lane, E1 7LS. T: 020 7089 9639. Booking essential
www.themayorofscaredycattown.com
