The ViewLondon Review
This easy-on-the-eye Soho bar stands out from the crowd.The VenueLocation, location, location. Graphic sits on the former site of the Midas Touch venue and benefits from a fantastic position in the Golden Square area of Soho. Media heavyweights like Virgin, Sony and Paramount all have offices merely a stone’s throw away and with Graphic they, and the vast Soho throngs, have an impressive bar to do lunch, head to after work and party into the evening (it shuts at midnight everyday).
The venue’s colour scheme is a seductive mix of chocolate brown, gold and bronze shades and this is offset with the bars best feature: a plethora of light shades that set the mood perfectly and sit in clusters throughout. Graphic has generated plenty of talk in the design world, with Design Week suitably impressed enough with the bars sleek look to extol its virtues.
On entry, the room extends out in front of you in a thin, rectangular shape. Comfy, brown leather communal booths can be found halfway down on the left hand side, while two more booths occupy the right hand side, just before you get to the end of the room. The bar is placed to the rear left, the stairs to the basement toilets can be found next to the bar, and the DJ booth is squeezed in at the far end of the bar giving the spinner a good view of proceedings. Even though it gets very busy, drinks flow thick and fast.
The AtmosphereDaytime trade sees a collection of suits and their guests chewing over important business deals. By the time the working day is done, you can expect to see after work schmoozing, office birthday parties or people enjoying drinks to say goodbye to transient work colleagues. Also present and correct are an intriguing mix of exuberant Sohoites, curious media types and pretty young things. Everyone is in good spirits and out to enjoy the night. The service is prompt, amiable and genuinely interested in whether you’re happy with your food or drink.
The FoodThe food menu at Graphic has been re-designed to offer more substantial sustenance. You can now take your pick from a range of reasonably priced dishes that will keep you going throughout the day or into the night. The salmon fillet has a Moroccan influence, it comes served with fragrant lemon and coriander couscous and additional heat from the sticky harissa paste. It comes with a very reasonable price tag too: £7.95 makes it well worth it. Other popular options include a goat’s cheese, red onion and basil tart on a bed of salad (£7.50), and a Graphic burger with a slice of Applewood cheese, tomato chilli chutney, red onion rings and a little bit of dressed salad (£8). This is a substantial option best kept for bigger appetites. There are also lighter bites starting from £3.95 for the homemade soup of the day.
The DrinkCocktails are one of Graphic’s major selling points. The bar staff are quick, efficient, friendly and concoct top quality drinks. The Rum Grog comes flaming in an ornate glass goblet that takes two hands to nurture. Other highlights include the Cup of Love which combines Russian Standard vodka, cucumber, fresh pear, elderflower, citrus and sparkling wine and comes for four people at the palatable price of £39.
There’s also an extensive list of lagers, ales, stouts, ciders and wines and for alcohol-free options there are plenty of smoothie and super-juices to choose from.
The Last WordAesthetically pleasing, with an address in one of London’s most desirable locations, Graphic continues to prosper.
Graphic has been reviewed by 11 users