Cocktails With Elvira
Elvira Barney and Her Circle
Tagged with Victor Silvester
Let It Be Soon
In 1946 Hugh Wade found himself with a hit on his hands. The tune was “Let It Be Soon (in the Sweet Bye and Bye)”. The music was Hugh’s and Dick Hurran provided the lyrics. Melody Maker ranked the tune as the 27th best-selling title of the year and it was on the charts for 14 weeks. As the song was only released in the latter half of the year this, in modern terms, means it was a top ten title and, possibly, at one point, the best-selling song of the week. Charts were relatively new and still (until 1950) based on sales of sheet music.
Increasingly though, records and airplay were becoming what mattered. Several leading acts of the day recorded versions. The earliest appears to be
Victor Silvester and his Ballroom Orchestra Aug-46 (Columbia FB3232)
This was, I presume, an instrumental version as there is no record that Silvester ever used vocalists. Silvester was the king of “strict-tempo” and in a very long career his instructional books (he had been a champion dancer in the 1920s) and phenomenal record sales (estimated at 75 million) pretty well shaped the whole “ballroom dancing” world. Although considered very “corny” by my generation, he used some of the best dance-band musicians and was in his own way a truly innovative figure. He used an unusual two-piano line up and “strict-tempo” is really the equivalent of BPM and hence, arguably, the original Disco sound – everything subsumed to the needs of the dancers. This, not unlike Disco, tended towards uniformity and eventually became somewhat anodyne and formulaic (“Slow, Slow Quick, Quick, Slow”). The public however could not get enough.
Tessie O’Shea Sep-46 (Columbia DB2232)
Something of an “acquired” taste, O’Shea, who had begun as a Sophie Tucker copyist, was a top of the bill act in Blackpool and at the London Palladium and was later very successful in America. She was also a featured vocalist with Jack Hylton. She has some claim to be the last great “Music Hall” artist and certainly played up to that image on television and in the theatre. Americans thought of her as the epitome of Cockney cheerfulness – she was in fact born in Cardiff to Irish and Jewish/Italian parents.
It would appear that her take on”Let It Be Soon” is what would now be considered a B Side, but this distinction was rarely made in the 1940s. Of the disc, Gramophone had this to say,
“Tessie O’Shea, who has given us so many happy hours in the radio programme, “Music Hall,” has recorded The ‘Ampstead Way from the new film “London Town,” and from all appearances this number has all the makings of another “Lambeth Walk.” It only needs someone to devise a special dance to fit the tune and =this when we see the film, we shall find that this has, in fact, been done. The coupling, Let it be Soon, is sung in the style which she has made so popular over the air, that is to say, a couple of vocal choruses and then a banjolele solo backed up by the orchestra—all very pleasing (Columbia DB2232).”
The CD compilation “Britain’s First Number Ones” (taken from Radio Luxemburg’s charts) opts for this version, which is rather more to my taste,
The Skyrockets Dance Orchestra cond. Paul Fenoulhet ( vocals Doreen Lundy) Oct-46 (HMV BD5945)
This band was formed by Paul Fenhoulet when he was conductor of the Number One Balloon Barrage Centre Orchestra during the War. Wisely, a name change was shortly made and the Skyrockets became one of the two leading wartime outfits drawn from military personnel (the other was the Squadronaires). Doreen Lundy joined in 1944 and brought an Anne Shelton sound to the Skyrockets, whose repertoire consisted of uptempo swing numbers, novelty songs and sentimental ballads. Lundy is yet another forgotten name, but her style is very much of its historical moment and suitably evocative.
This brief profile of Doreen Lundy is from Don Wicks’ “The Ballad Years, a privately published discography that is much quoted on 50s music websites but seems a little hard to get hold of.
“She was born in Ireland on 4 November 1925 – came to England with her mother when she was eleven and settled in Pinner, Middlesex. She grew up to become an attractive 5’3″ blue eyed brunette, and during the war she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Without any previous singing experience she persuaded, Paul Fenoulhet, the leader of the RAF Dance Band (aka The Skyrockets), to let her sing with the band. Favourable audience response ensured a permanent place on the bandstand, and subsequently romance developed between Doreen and Paul – and they married on 28 March 1949. Meanwhile she had been broadcasting and recording with the band regularly for HMV (in 1945, her first recording had been ‘Sentimental Journey’). A couple of singles followed on the MGM label, and then in 1948 she joined Geraldo where further recordings were issued on Parlophone. By 1949 she was freelancing, including a long residency at Ciro’s Club with Max Jaffa’s Band. Recording, however tailed off. One single with Peter Yorke on Columbia, one with Eddie Calvert on Melodisc, and finally a brief return in 1955 with a 78 on Oriole. By the late 1950s, Doreen had scaled down her workload but still played the occasional week in variety, but thereafter the trail goes cold – so one assumes that she retired at that point”
Note the Geraldo connection and the residency at Ciro’s.
The 1946 line-up of the Skyrockets was as following
Saxophones: IZZY DUMAN, BILL APPS, PAT SMUTS, NORMAN IMPEY, MAX PHILLIPS.
Trombones: GEORGE ROWE, DON McCAFFER, ARTHUR VERREY, FRANK OSBORNE.
Trumpets: CHICK SMITH, LES LAMBERT, RON PRIEST, BILLY RIDDICK.
Violins: LEW WHITESON, JACK SMALLMAN, SID WILLIAMS, MARK SHANE, SID MARKS, BILLY SHULMAN, LEN LEE.
Harp: ARTHUR RAWSON.
Drums: GEORGE FIERSTONE.
( this is taken from April 1946 programme for “Hightime” – a show which featured Tessie O’Shea singing a Dick Hurran lyric)
Most of these musicians were veterans of the pre-War, West End danceband scene and would have been well-known to Hugh. Impey had played with Hutch, others with Debroy Somers and Tommy Kinsman, whose paths we have crossed before. George Fierstone, another with a long career, was an important tutor to several Modern Jazz drummers, including Martin Drew.Fenhoulet himself was a multi-instrumentalist (trombone, trumpet, French horn) and arranger who had worked with Jack Hylton and then Carroll Gibbons throughout the 1930s. These characters were the engine-room of British popular music, mostly starting off as 1920s jazz enthusiasts but working mainly in “Light Entertainment” as that was where a living could be made. The Skyrockets became the “house band” at the London Palladium while Fenhoulet ended up leading the BBC Radio Orchestra.
The comedian, club-owner and “radio personality” Charlie Chester added his effort to the list.
‘Cheerful’ Charlie Chester and his Gang Nov-46 (Decca F8701)
The “Stand Easy” orchestra is a reference to Charlie Chester’s radio programme, one of the most popular of the period and which became, with only minor adaptations, one of the first post-war television programmes to have a real impact on the public, running, as “The Charlie Chester Show”, from 1949 to 1961. It introduced the public to Derek Guyler, for which I am grateful, and the cash-prize quiz, about which I am more ambivalent.
The acts so far mentioned, illustrate the extent to which Hugh Wade was operating very much within the mainstream of English popular culture, as a composer at least. Hugh’s world may have been a mixture of Soho and Chelsea, but it was the Soho of Denman Street music publishers and Archer Street musicians that dominated his professional life. To me this makes him a more substantial (and complex) person than the best-known accounts might suggest.
The next recording of “Let It Be Soon” is in many ways the most interesting, as it both harks back to an earlier era but takes us forward to the next generation.
Ted Heath and his Music (vocals Paul Carpenter) Jan-47 (Decca F8717)
Ted Heath, who had served his apprenticeship with the likes of Bert Firman, Jack Hylton and Ambrose (Elvira would have heard him at the Mayfair Hotel) , led the most successful of the post-war big bands. As a trombonist he was one of the more technically gifted of British dance-band soloists, learning much off visiting American musicians. From Bert Ambrose he learnt how to be a band leader – basically, employ the best ( jazz oriented) musicians but cater to the audience’s taste. As a result he dominated British popular music from the end of the War to the arrival of Rock and Roll.
Ted Heath Band 1945
The band for the “Let It Be Soon” session was, in all likelihood, “Kenny Baker, Stan Roderick, Harry Letham, Alan Franks (tp), Harry Roche, Lad Busby, Jack Bentley, Jimmy Coombes (tb), Les Gilbert, Reg Owen, (as), Johnny Gray, Ronnie Scott (ts), Dave Shand (bs), Norman Stenfalt (p), Dave Goldberg (g), Charlie Short (b), Jack Parnell (d), Paul Carpenter (vcl).”
Some names stand out here. Kenny Baker is generally considered the best British jazz trumpeter of his era (and beyond); fans of 60s cinematic and “Lounge” music will affectionately recallHarry Roche (“Constellation”); Jack Parnell (nephew of Palladium legend,Val) was the most versatile and in-demand of drummers but is best-remembered as 1960s ATV musical director (think Golden Shot or The Benny Hill Show); and then there is Ronnie Scott, the godfather of British jazz modernism. It’s a classy line-up.
The lyrics to “Let It Be Soon” were by Dick (Dickie) Hurran, who worked closely with people such as Bernard Delfont and Val Parnell as a production manager, as well as doing the odd bit of song-writing. An archetypal “showbiz” figure he helped launch Norman Wisdom’s career in the revue “Paris to Piccadilly” – a very “naughty” show in its day( see Paris to Piccadilly ). In the 1960s he was the main promoter of variety packages in Blackpool and in the 70s he was a judge on “New Faces”. It’s a long road from Chelsea parties to the Chuckle Brothers, but there you go.
OK – so much for the trawl around the highways and byways of the music business, what about the song itself? As with all Hugh Wade compositions, the melodic line is strong and the mood appropriate. Stylistically, everything is as it should but there is little in the way of experimentation. Hugh’s compositions were tailored very much for the target audience, he had plenty of scope to express his individualism and keyboard virtuosity in his night-club act.
The lyrics are sentimental, bordering in places on the morbid, and could be dismissed as trite (Hurran was no Cole Porter) if not for the historical context. The latter end of the War and the immediate post-war period saw a great demand for songs that expressed regret and loss as well as a hope for a new start. “In the Land of Beginning Again” or”Sentimental Journey” are good examples. The tone is melancholy, maudlin by modern standards, but it tapped into the psyche of a generation that had either lost its loved ones or had undergone long periods of enforced separation. There is a fair amount of what we might now call “intertextuality” – “don’t know where, don’t know when, let it be soon”, “In the Sweet Bye and Bye” etc. – and the whole composition exudes the atmosphere of late 1940s England.
It is for these reasons that the Imperial War Museum keeps a copy of the sheet music in its archives. That, in itself, is something not to be sneered at. If they were to hold a recorded version I would suggest the Doreen Lundy one as the most apt.
What Hugh Wade thought of it, we don’t know. At the very least , it reconnected him to a pre-war bunch of musicians he would have respected. I suspect he was quite pleased at its success and not a little proud to be making music that resonated with a public, most of whom would have had no inkling of the ups-and-downs of folk like Elizabeth Ponsonby or Elvira Barney.
Prosecco & punch: cocktails for new year
It comes around so fast doesn't it? I'm still not used to writing 2014, let alone 2015. I may not be ready for the change of year, but I am ready to celebrate it, because I've my party planned down to the tablecloth. which will probably have to be plastic.
New Year is a great time to let you hair down and enjoy one last party before the relative (or sometimes total) sobriety of January. So you want to make sure that you have fun and don’t spend the whole time pouring drinks and running to and from the oven every time the sausage rolls think they’re done.
So between Jamie and our lovely writer Ren we’ve got all the food sorted in advance with their articles on finger food and ideas to prepare in advance. Now I just need to sort out the drinks. As a beer lover there will be plenty of that in the fridge (make sure it gets a few hours in there to really cool down) but I’ve learnt the hard way that not everyone wants the latest Belgian-style single-hopped tripel made with Champagne yeast, so I’ve got some bellini purées lined up for when friends arrive (hopefully they are bringing the Prosecco!), a simple stunning berry and rosemary gin fizz for when people are in the party mood and, if it gets that far, Bloody Marys (with bacon garnish!) for the morning.
If you’re after inspiration just check out this gallery of amazing cocktails collected from Jamie’s books, the Drinks Tube website and Jamie Magazine. There’s something for everyone – even the designated drivers. Happy New Year all!
Nini bellini
True to the iconic Italian classic
Sometimes the original is best, and this fruity Prosecco cocktail makes a fantastic party drink. Just add the peach purée before the guests arrive, then top them up as they do!
About the author
To say Jonny Garrett loves food is an understatement, and to his mother’s dismay he is also obsessed with beer. If he could, he’d drink American IPAs and eat sushi all day. Follow him on Twitter at @beerchannel.
7 cocktails with champagne and gin to ring in the New Year
This New Year is all about adding a little spunk to your glass of bubbly.
Next year is expected to be bursting with loads of new gin flavours, so it makes perfect sense to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a cheeky extra shot of gin.
Here are Metro.co.uk’s favourite champagne and gin cocktails…
1) The Gin & Fizz
A post shared by Rebecca Howie (@bec_howie) on Dec 30, 2016 at 12:04am PST
Dash of elderflower cordial
Fresh mint sprig
Slice of cucumber
3/4 glass of prosecco
Add the elderflower cordial and gin to a champagne flute then top with Prosecco. Decorate with mint and cucumber.
Source: Prosecco Club Blog
2) The French 75
A post shared by jana | NOM NOMS food (@nomnoms_jana) on Dec 29, 2016 at 11:18am PST
15ml lemon juice
7.5ml sugar syrup
Lemon peel garnish
Add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a cocktail shaker with some ice cubes. Shake and strain into a champagne flute, top with champagne and garnish with lemon peel.
Source: The Savoy Cocktail Book
3) Eden Special Fizz
25ml Hendrick’s Gin
Dash of cherry liqueur
3/4 glass of champagne
Add the gin and cherry liqueur to a champagne flute with a cube of ice. Pour in the champagne just before serving.
Source: Hendrick’s Gin
4) Raspberry Gin Bellini
25ml Zymurgorium’s Gooseberry Gin
Dash of fresh lemon juice
3/4 glass of Prosecco
Muddle three raspberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the gin, lemon juice and some ice, shake and strain into a champagne flute. Top with Prosecco and add the last raspberry as a garnish.
5) Sloe Royale
A post shared by The Little Gin Company (@thelittlegincompany) on Apr 21, 2016 at 6:04am PDT
Add the sloe gin to a champagne flute then pour in the champagne.
6) Forenoon Fizz
Spoon of orange marmalade
20ml lemon juice
Tiny triangle of toast
Pour the gin, cointreau, lemon juice and marmalade into a cocktail shaker. Stir to dissolve the marmalade, add ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail flute and top up with the champagne. Garnish with the toast.
7) The Peach Champagne Cocktail
A post shared by Katie (@katieskandles) on Dec 25, 2015 at 5:17pm PST
25ml peach liqueur
3/4 glass of champagne
Add the gin and peach liqueur into a champagne flute, then pour in the champagne.
Champagner-Cocktails zu Silvester: Kir Royal, French 75 und Champagne Cocktail
Silvester ist eure Chance auf Dekadenz. Eure Chance auf einen richtig edlen Drink von Weltklasse. Nutzt Silvester und mixt euch einen Champagner-Cocktail! Die sind während des Jahres eher schwierig in der Homebar unterzukriegen: Champagner ist teuer und anders als guten Rum oder Whisky kann man die offene Flasche nicht einfach ins Regal stellen, nachdem man sich ein paar cl ins Glas geschüttet hat. Die Kohlensäure geht flöten, innerhalb von Stunden wird aus 40 Euro teurem Edel-Schaumwein ein ziemlich verkorkster Weißwein. Natürlich kann man sich die Flasche auch im Ganzen gönnen, aber das ist dann eher nichts für den gemütlichen Poker-Donnerstag.
An Silvester ist das anders: Da sind die Cocktailzutaten eh schon aufgebaut, das Kühlfach quillt über vor Eiswürfeln, die hauseigenen Feierbiester sind gut drauf und vor allem: der Champagner oder Sekt ist eh schon offen und hat beste Chancen darauf, noch getrunken zu werden. Nutzt diese wundervolle Gelegenheit, um euch das Zeug nicht pur hinter die Binde zu kippen, sondern euch einen Cocktail-Klassiker zu mixen; schließlich gehören einige Champagner-Cocktails zu den ältesten Mix-Drinks überhaupt. Wir zeigen euch in diesem Artikel drei klassische, leckere, aber auch vergleichsweise simple Champagner-Drinks, die ihr ohne Probleme nachmixen könnt. Zur Not auch mit Sekt – aber dazu später mehr. Hier erstmal die Rezepte:
Das Rezept für den Kir Royal
- 2 cl Crème de Cassis
- Sekt/Champagner zum Aufgießen
Zubereitung: Crème de Cassis in eine Sektflöte schütten. Mit Schaumwein aufgießen. Trinken.
Schmeckt euch, wenn: Ihr eigentlich lieber Rosé-Sekt hättet, aber Angst habt, dass die versnobbten Pseudo-Connoisseure auf der Party euch auslachen.
Hintergrundstory: Den Kir Royal kennen die meisten nur aus der gleichnamigen Fernsehserie von Helmut Dietl. Die hat der Autor dieses Artikels nie gesehen, aber sie heißt wohl so, weil man das Zeug in der Münchner Schickeria der 80er reingesoffen hat wie doof. Seinen Ursprung hat der Kir Royal jedoch beim Franzosen Félix Kir: Der erfand zunächst einen Drink aus Weißwein und Cassis. Als Bürgermeister der französischen Stadt Dijon wollte er so Werbung für den Wein und die Schwarzen Johannisbeeren der Region machen. Dafür ließ er seinen Blanc-Cassis bei jedem offiziellen Anlass ausschenken. Später benannte man den Drink nach ihm: Kir.
Mixt man den ganzen Spaß jetzt mit Champagner statt Weißwein, hat man einen Kir Royal. Den zu trinken ist keineswegs ein Rückfall in 80er-Jahre-Isar-Monaco-Auswüchse. Félix Kir war Träger des deutschen Bundesverdienstkreuzes, da er nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg zusammen mit Adenauer eifrig an der Wieder-Annäherung von Deutschland und Frankreich arbeitete. Wer Kir Royal trinkt, der trinkt also auf die deutsch-französische Saufkumpanei – nicht auf Rosis Sperrbezirk.
Das Rezept für den French 75
- 3 cl Gin
- 2 cl Zitronensaft
- 1 cl Zuckersirup
- Sekt/Champagner zum Aufgießen
Zubereitung: Gin, Zitronensaft und Zuckersirup auf Eis hart shaken. In ein am besten vorgekühltes Champagnerglas abseihen. Mit Schaumwein aufgießen. Trinken.
Schmeckt euch, wenn: Ihr eigentlich einen Gin Tonic wolltet, aber das Tonic Water ausgegangen ist.
Hintergrundstory: French 75 als Name für einen Schaumwein-Cocktail klingt soft, flauschig und nach Weiberkram. Das Ding ist jedoch nach der Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897 benannt – einer französischen Kanone, die vor allem im ersten Weltkrieg zum Einsatz kam. Die war beim Feind für ihre Durchschlagskraft bekannt, kam aber optisch eher unauffällig daher. Genau wie der French 75: Der Champagner in Kombination mit Zucker und Zitronensäure umschmeichelt selbst den intensivsten Gin und sorgt dafür, dass das Ding irre süffig wird. Passend zu Silvester erzeugt ihr dadurch einen Fondue-Effekt: Ihr merkt überhaupt nicht, dass ihr was trinkt, bis ihr aus dem Nichts heraus hackedicht seid. Aufpassen mit diesem Drink!
Das Rezept für den Champagne Cocktail
- 1 Zuckerwürfel
- 3 Spritzer Angostura Bitters
- 2 cl Cognac (aus dem Eisfach!)
- Sekt/Champagner zum Aufgießen
Zubereitung: Benetzt den Zuckerwürfel mit den Angostura Bitters und gebt ihn in ein am besten vorgekühltes Champagnerglas. Eiskalten Cognac darübergeben. Mit Schaumwein aufgießen. Mit einer Orangenzeste abspritzen. Trinken.
Schmeckt euch, wenn: Ihr eigentlich einen Old Fashioned wolltet. Oder einen Sazerac. Oder einfach ein Glas guten, fassgereiften Schnaps. Hauptsache was, das nicht nach Blubberwasser schmeckt.
Hintergrundstory: Der Champagne Cocktail mit seinem unglaublich langweiligen Namen stammt direkt aus How to mix drinks, dem ersten Cocktailbuch überhaupt. 1862 veröffentlichte es der Bartender Jerry Thomas, damals allerdings noch mit Zucker statt einem Zuckerwürfel, geshaked und ohne Cognac. Den Fehler mit dem Zucker korrigierte Thomas selbst in der zweiten Auflage; die Würfelform sorgt für ordentlich Kohlensäureblasen und macht den Drink spannender, weil er sich mit jedem Schluck verändert. Die kohlensäurefeindliche Shakerei korrigierte er später ebenfalls (er rührte ab 1887 um), das lassen wir jedoch des Effekts wegen auch.
Bleibt der Cognac. Wo der herkommt, wissen wir nicht – auch heute noch kommen die meisten Champagne Cocktail-Rezepte ohne ihn aus. Allein: Durch den Weinbrand im Schaumwein schmeckt der Cocktail tatsächlich nach Cocktail, er wird gehaltvoller und spannender. Finden zumindest wir – wer es lieber langsam angehen will oder einfach keinen Cognac mag, der lässt ihn schlicht und ergreifend weg. Wir verraten es auch keinem.
Geht das auch mit Sekt? Oder: „Den guten Champagner vermixen, seid ihr blöd?“
Erst der einfache Teil: Wenn ihr euch an Silvester nur ungern arm sauft, dann funktioniert ein guter Sekt oder anderer Schaumwein im Kir Royal, French 75 und Champagne Cocktail auch sehr gut. Wohlgemerkt ein guter: Von der billigen 3-Euro-Brause gibt’s nur Kopfschmerzen. Allerdings sollte klar sein: Selbst mit ordentlichen Sekt bleibt Champagner im Schnitt nun mal einfach schmackhafter, samtiger, geschmeidiger im Mund – von „genauso gut“ kann ergo keine Rede sein. Für unkomplizierte Infos zu Qualitäten und Bezeichnungen von Schaumwein schaut auf wirwinzer.de, dort findet ihr eine übersichtliche Schaumwein-Tabelle, inklusive einer ziemlich präzisen Preis-Einschätzung je nach Qualität.
Jetzt der schwierige Teil, der für euch eigentlich nur relevant ist, falls ihr zur „Den guten Champagner kann man doch nicht vermixen?!“-Fraktion gehört. Falls ihr so denkt: Doch kann man. Die offene Flasche vergammeln lassen ist ein Unding – deswegen ist Silvester ja optimal, um sich einen Champagner-Drink zu mixen. Aber rumheulen, weil man Cocktails draus macht? Wir schütten uns Tonic Water für 1,50 Euro in den 70-Euro-Gin und Coka Cola in den hammergeilen Craft-Rum, aber dann machen wir (k)ein Fass auf, weil ein Zuckerwürfel in den Schampus für 15 bis 50 Euro kommt? Kriegt euch mal wieder ein, ey.
Welchen Champagner kaufe ich für meine Champagner-Cocktails?
Kommen wir zur wichtigsten Frage: Wenn ich jetzt also bereit bin, mir den Silvester-Abend mit leckeren Schaumwein-Cocktails zu versüßen, welchen kaufe ich? Ganz ehrlich: Wir haben keine Ahnung, also halten wir die Klappe. Nicht unser Fachbereich, also so gar nicht. Wir wissen einen guten Champagner zu schätzen, verlassen uns da aber auf das Urteil anderer: So können wir die Champagner-Artikel von Torben Bornhöft auf Trinklaune.de empfehlen, auch wenn die dort vorgestellten Exemplare nicht immer so leicht zu kriegen sind. Für erreichbare und bezahlbare Alternativen gibt’s auf Küchenflug.de den Check zu Lidl- und Aldi-Champagner.
Egal, welches Blubberwasser ihr euch in den Kir Royal, den French 75 oder den Champagne Cocktail schüttet: Wir haben euch lieb und wünschen euch einen guten Rutsch und ein fantastisches Jahr 2017 🙂
Top 10 bars in Hoboken: Yelp ranks the city's nightlife
Gallery: The top ten best bars in Hoboken, according to Yelp
on January 09, 2014 at 7:30 AM, updated January 09, 2014 at 3:15 PM
HOBOKEN — With more than 50 bars to choose from, navigating Hoboken's nightlife can be a little overwhelming.
The city has a variety of bars — all technically within walking distance, since Hoboken is all of 1.3 square miles. Business review site Yelp is a common go-to for bar and restaurant goers looking to narrow down their options or explore new ones. The reviews are subjective, but can help give possible patrons a taste of a business before heading out the door.
Looking at bars that received between 3.5 and five stars and had more than 40 reviews, these are the top-rated bars in the city :
The Cuban mixes traditional Latin sophistication with a modern style, serving authentic Cuban cuisine and Latin-themed cocktails, according to its website.
Common reviewer comment: Try the mojitos.
Though Maxwell's ended its reign as a rock club legend in July, the bar still seems to be resonating with reviewers. The bar still hosts events, like movie nights, and Tommy's Underground Talent Show performs every Sunday at the back of the bar.
Common reviewer comment: Bring a date or a group of friends.
Pilsener offers more than 50 American and European bottled craft beers and more than 20 imported drafts, according to its website. Every Tuesday, the bar takes 50 percent off of most of its menu options.
Common reviewer comment: Try the giant Bavarian pretzels.
According to its website, Onieal's is the perfect place for patrons "looking for good conversation and a pint, fitting the dark mahogany decor." The bar/restaurant has live music every Tuesday and Wednesday.
Common reviewer comment: The restaurant's burger is the best in the city.
Cooper's Union serves craft cocktails and international drafts, according to its Facebook page. Common reviewer comment: Great place to watch a football game on Sundays.
Bin 14 bills itself as Hoboken's first wine bar, opening its doors in 2008. The bar offers more than 75 types of wine.
Common reviewer recommendation: Small plates pair well with wine selection, but if you're a big eater, you may want to dine elsewhere.
The Madison pairs a 1940s-style decor with "eclectic American cuisine," according to its website.
Common reviewer comment: Try the yucca, steak or truffle fries. They are apparently all worth the calories.
Mulligan's is big on football — in fact, it bills itself as the state's "premier football bar."
Common reviewer comment: Order a pint of Guinness.
Northern Soul has vintage arcade games, a pool table, darts, rotating art shows and live music. Every Friday and Saturday night, one of the bar's resident DJs spins from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Common reviewer comment: Perfect for those looking for an "off-the-beaten-path" place.
Yelp reviewers say this bar stands out on Washington Street for its dive-bar vibe. Louise & Jerry's has a jukebox, pool table and the arcade game, "Big Buck Hunter."
Common reviewer comment: Classic dive bar with cheap drinks and a great jukebox.
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7 cocktails with champagne and gin to ring in the New Year
This New Year is all about adding a little spunk to your glass of bubbly.
Next year is expected to be bursting with loads of new gin flavours, so it makes perfect sense to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a cheeky extra shot of gin.
Here are Metro.co.uk’s favourite champagne and gin cocktails…
1) The Gin & Fizz
A post shared by Rebecca Howie (@bec_howie) on Dec 30, 2016 at 12:04am PST
Dash of elderflower cordial
Fresh mint sprig
Slice of cucumber
3/4 glass of prosecco
Add the elderflower cordial and gin to a champagne flute then top with Prosecco. Decorate with mint and cucumber.
Source: Prosecco Club Blog
2) The French 75
A post shared by jana | NOM NOMS food (@nomnoms_jana) on Dec 29, 2016 at 11:18am PST
15ml lemon juice
7.5ml sugar syrup
Lemon peel garnish
Add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a cocktail shaker with some ice cubes. Shake and strain into a champagne flute, top with champagne and garnish with lemon peel.
Source: The Savoy Cocktail Book
3) Eden Special Fizz
25ml Hendrick’s Gin
Dash of cherry liqueur
3/4 glass of champagne
Add the gin and cherry liqueur to a champagne flute with a cube of ice. Pour in the champagne just before serving.
Source: Hendrick’s Gin
4) Raspberry Gin Bellini
25ml Zymurgorium’s Gooseberry Gin
Dash of fresh lemon juice
3/4 glass of Prosecco
Muddle three raspberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the gin, lemon juice and some ice, shake and strain into a champagne flute. Top with Prosecco and add the last raspberry as a garnish.
5) Sloe Royale
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Add the sloe gin to a champagne flute then pour in the champagne.
6) Forenoon Fizz
Spoon of orange marmalade
20ml lemon juice
Tiny triangle of toast
Pour the gin, cointreau, lemon juice and marmalade into a cocktail shaker. Stir to dissolve the marmalade, add ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail flute and top up with the champagne. Garnish with the toast.
7) The Peach Champagne Cocktail
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25ml peach liqueur
3/4 glass of champagne
Add the gin and peach liqueur into a champagne flute, then pour in the champagne.
Silvester cocktails
UPCOMING EVENTS
OPENING HOURS
12.00 - 00.00 / 01.00
Cocktails - Bar - Lounge
9000 Saint City, Switzerland
Cock10 Night! Alle Cocktails 10Fr!
PAST EVENTS
RAPHAEL S - The Legend is back!
Freitag, 18. November 16
Samstag, 19. November 16
Samstag, 12 November 16
AY MAMI [Fresh Cut]
Freitag, 11 November 16
EL CANDELAZO [Edi Jo]
Fr & Sa, 04. & 05. November 16
LATINO ROYALE Pt.2 | Romeo [Cuba]
Montag, 11. November 16
CUBAN AFFAIRS Halloween Edition | Romeo [Cuba]
Silvester cocktails
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Distil Bar
Current Local Time
Open: 17:00 - 01:00 daily
Welcome to Distil, where the crafted seasonal cocktail series radiant with tantalizing new flavors, textures and visuals have led to its being widely considered the best Bangkok bar for innovative cocktails among denizens of the city’s cocktail culture.
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One flight up from Sky Bar on the 64th floor, and with Bangkok's best views, is Distil, the city's highest bar, and the home of mixology magic like the new season of Aged Cocktails, for which the ingredients, including premium and exclusive Havana Club 3 Year Old rum and Plymouth gin, are aged in French oak barrels for several weeks, then shaken and muddled with nectars, spices, purées and liqueurs.
For guests who occasionally find themselves saying, “That was a great drink before the ice melted,” we recommend the latest collection of Ice Cocktails, for which the standard ice that has always turned the best of drinks to water is replaced with spheres or cubes of completely unexpected flavors frozen at minus 1.9 degrees Celsius.
A wide selection of premium authentic malt whiskies, vodkas and brandies are also stocked, and a walk-in wine cellar features the finest wines and champagnes from around the world. For a complete culinary experience, the Oyster Bar at Distil serves the freshest Fine de Claire, Gillardeau and pearl oysters, while sushi and sashimi, and other epicurean delights are on offer, many available exclusively at lebua.
For many guests a luxuriously indulgent evening includes a fine cigar. The Cigar Terrace at Distil serves an exquisite spread of hand-rolled Cubans that will impress the most discerning of connoisseurs, including the legendary Cohiba, which for years was available only to Fidel Castro and his top lieutenants.
Delicious and innovative cocktails, rare culinary delights, unforgettable views, talented DJs, and Cohibas, – for any aficionado of nightlife, it is one of the top things to do in Bangkok and doesn’t get any better than this.
One of the top bars in Bangkok. Distil has received worldwide recognition and numerous awards, including:
- 2014: TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence 2014
- 2011: The Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards 2011-2013 – HAPA Entertainment Outlet of the Year: HAPA Best 10 in Asia
- 2005: Condé Nast Traveler, US – Hot Tables 2005
The Best Dining in Bangkok
At The Dome there is an exquisite selection of restaurants and bars which are culinary dream for connoisseurs.
At Breeze or Sirocco, it's a fantastic reality.
Staycation with Sirocco or Breeze
Two nights to catch your breath and one dinner at Breeze or Sirocco above Bangkok to take it away. Is this your fantasy getaway?
TOWER CLUB OFFER
Discover Bangkok with Sirocco or Breeze
Staycation packages for those seeking a luxurious sanctuary including an evening at our restaurants and bars.
Something Lovely's Started
Your luxury hotel in South Beach, where you can call on close friends, Philippe Starck, Chef José Andrés and Lenny Kravitz for a beachfront getaway like no other. Tuck away in our Miami boutique hotel, score the hottest reservations in Miami or play it coy at Hyde Beach, no matter your destination at SLS Hotel South Beach, you can always count on welcoming service, redefined luxury, and undeniable style. At SLS, you don't need to go to South Beach. South Beach has come to you.
Cyber Monday
Receive up to 50% off. Check availability or use promotional code CYBER.
SERIOUSLY LAVISH SAVINGS
Enjoy up to 35% off our Best Available Rates with a $50 Katsuya Credit
The Bazaar by José Andrés
The Bazaar, the world-renowned restaurant by the James Beard award-winning Chef José Andrés, makes its Miami debut with a vibrant mix of sophisticated cuisine and a playful indoor-outdoor environment.
Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi, whose acclaimed Japanese restaurants have been recipients of top Zagat ratings for years, unleashes his culinary artistry onto South Beach with a menu of innovative sushi and robata dishes uniquely adapted for the American palate. Private dining is available in the Dragon Lounge.
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Already established as the premier nightlife destination in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Hyde Lounge’s energy takes over the sand with the debut of its first day and nightlife oceanfront location – Hyde Beach. With more than 8,000 square feet of pool, beach and indoor-outdoor space, Hyde Beach offers artful mixology and José Andrés cuisine, all inspired by the flavors and culture of the local community.
A SEXY HELL WHERE BEAUTIFUL BAD GIRLS AND BAD BOYS ARE DANCING ON THE CHAIRS, ON TABLES, DROWNED IN THE MUSIC, IN THE HEAT, IN THE SWEAT.
Premier exotic car rental and luxury chauffeur service company
Guests are invited to spend the day in expansive daybeds or inviting cabanas, surrounding either the Guest Pool or Hyde Pool.
From smoothing blowouts to perfectly manicured fingers and toes, the white-on-white Philippe Starck-designed IGK Salon will have you red carpet-ready from head to toe.
· MEETINGS + EVENTS ·
Special Events & Productions
- Customized menus from Chef José Andrés and Katsuya by Starck
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- 24-hour full-scale AV expertise and capabilities
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- Post-conference shipping
- Concierge services
- Multilingual staff
· SOME LOVELY STORIES ·
SLS South Beach
Beautiful hotel located on South Beach!
Amazing restaurants inside, gorgeous full bar off the lobby, car service, complimentary fruit at the check-in desk and the most breath taking pool. I did not go to the beach to lay out once during my stay because the scene here at SLS was simply perfect. From drinks to food and didn’t move from the pool area for hours.
The rooms are adorably chic and well equipped with all your needs from toiletries, iPad, sound dock, refreshments, robes, flat screen tv, superb linens and beautiful city and ocean views. Prime hotel in a prime location with prime time service and staff. I love it!
SLS South Beach
The hotel is great with excellent restaurants. The service was also amazing. The pool is very nice and reception people very kind. I had a great time and recommend the hotel. It is the 5th time I came in the last 4 years.
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