160 Old Brompton Road,
Kensington,
London,
SW5 0BA
(020) 7341 7678
The ViewLondon Review
There are many places to drink on the Old Brompton Road but none have the high standards and elegance of newcomer Coquine.
The Venue
Coquine is situated in the heart of the Old Brompton Road, a short walk away from Gloucester Road, and is surrounded by a plethora of restaurants, pubs and hotel bars. From the outset, you can tell that it is a sophisticated venue as it stands out
from all the other places on the stretch. On the inside, the venue is dark and mysterious, with a blue glow about it. You can tell that the upstairs serves as more of the bar-restaurant concept as there are lots of little tables and places to sit. To the back
of the venue, you will find an area with high stools and a long table, which is suitable for people who want a quiet drink.
Making your way downstairs, it feels like you have entered a different venue and this is obviously the club area. To the right there are little booths encased by illuminated pictures frames. When you look at this surreal design feature from afar, and there
are people in the booths, it looks like a moving 3D image or like a piece of interactive art. It really is a clever touch and looks very impressive. The bigger booths at the back have shiny blue-green bricks and plush velvet upholstery making you feel like a
VIP. Scattered around different parts of the venue are impressive works of renaissance art which adds to its refined nature.
The Atmosphere
Due to its close proximity to Chelsea, expect to find a lot of Sloanies here. Coquine is a place where people want to dress up, put on their finest attire and look fabulous darling. It is a place to be seen, so there will be a lot of people flashing their cash
and, indeed, the latest Prada bag. Also, it is worth noting that as the place is rather bijous, the efficiency and bright nature of the bar staff is more than impressive. They are faultlessly professional and have a great attitude, even when under considerable
pressure to churn out endless drink requests.
The Food
When presented with the menu, even this is highly stylised. It is navy blue, thick and a gold rope is wrapped around it. It is another bit of attention to detail that adds to the wow factor the venue brings. The food part is printed in shiny gold lettering and
parts of the menu are French-influenced. For instance, in the comfort bites section, there is a tomates farcies (£6) which is a dish that is quintessentially French. The other nibbles take on a more international look and include ballotines (£8.50), crostini
(£5.50), fish finger tacos (£7) and steak tartare (£8).
The mains start at £9.50 for a Coquine salad and have other interesting dishes like a lobster BLT (£13.50), guinea fowl (£13.50) and a Madagascar steak (£21).
The venue also sports a raw bar which offers six rock oysters for £13.50 and a selection of sushi ranging from £7 for a chicken maki and California roll to £7.50 for a lobster maki.
As Coquine see itself as a multifaceted venue, not just a place to party, it is open on the weekend for brunch between 11.30am and 4pm.
The Drink
Coquine boasts a remarkable cocktail list at surprisingly affordable prices. Prices start at £7.50 for another French-inspired element to the menu - the Carambar Martini. This drink has a piece of the sweet wedged to the side of the glass and tastes exactly
like a Carambar - sickly sweet and devilishly tasty. The drink can be knocked back easily and, before you know it, it has all gone, so watch out as a couple of these can leave you pretty tipsy in a short space of time. Another outstanding drink on the list is the
Pain D’Epice (£8) which has subtle pangs of gingerbread and feels like you’re digesting a dessert. However, both of these drinks, even though they’re potent, do not taste powerfully alcoholic making them a pleasant tipple.
There is a section on the menu called slim drinks which are made with fresh ingredients and no liqueurs, so if you are on a diet but still want to enjoy a drink, then this section is designed for you. Costing between £8-£8.50, they are all fruit based and
very refreshing. The Sunny Side Up (£8) has vodka, fresh mango, lime, lychee juice and edible glitters, exactly what a girl needs when she’s counting the calories, a bit of sparkly fun.
The Champagne cocktails, all priced at £10, are named after famous French actresses like Catherine Deneuve, which has Stoli raspberry vodka, passion fruit and Veuve Clicquot in the mix.
If you’ve been dragged along here and are more of a beer and wine person, the only beer they have is Asahi in bottles for £5, and house wine is £4.50 a glass and £16 for a bottle. Being an upmarket venue, there are eight different champagnes you can
choose from. Starting with Veuve Clicquot for £10 a glass, £60 a bottle and £180 a magnum, you can also try Laurent Perrier Rose for £85 a bottle and £225 a magnum. The most expensive price you can pay is £400 a bottle and £1150 a Magnum for 2000
Cristal.
The Last Word
Whether you want a bite to eat and a drink upstairs or a crazy party downstairs, Coquine steps up to the plate and delivers. With interesting and inventive cocktails and great staff, it is undoubtedly one of the best venues in this part of London.
Coquine has been reviewed by 11 users