4 Golden Square,
Soho,
London,
W1F 9HT
(020) 7287 9241
The ViewLondon Review
Graphic's chameleon-like approach to its design has struck again and this time it’s emerged with an industrial, street-art-inspired design courtesy of the designer Ben Eine, an artist who recently rocketed into the limelight as the creator of a piece of art David Cameron presented as a gift to the Obamas.
The Venue
Always fresh and cool, Golden Square’s Graphic doesn’t stay the same for long as the venue gets entrusted to a different graphic artist every six months for a complete revamp. Currently showcasing the work of established graffiti artist Ben Eine, Graphic nails the garage look, quite literally, since Eine is famous for painting his oversized typographic letters on garage shutters and here they’re installed in to the pre-existing niches. With colourful shutters lined up one after the other, you get the feeling someone’s going to come along and park their car!
The remaining space is left as neutral as possible: walls and the ceiling are grey, with sporadic white brick walls and furniture consisting of non-descriptive wooden tables and chairs and a few sofas and armchairs. The ceiling is another point of interest as it is dotted with large old-fashioned filament light-bulbs in different shapes and sizes. The place is obviously cool but without trying terribly hard to do so.
The Atmosphere
With such a focus on the work of emerging artists and its position at the Soho media hub, you could expect to meet illustrators and designers with funky attires but the crowd is more buttoned-down shirts and sequins than NikeiD trainers and fluro colours. More mainstream and less artistic than what you might imagine, Graphic attracts a crowd in their mid-to-late twenties, who flock in groups from the local offices – PPL, Virgin and Paramount offices are close by - creating a buzzy atmosphere. DJs are in session on busier nights, too.
The Food
You might not expect a cocktail bar to put as much effort into the food but, in fact, the food is crafted with more care and quality ingredients than many restaurants.
The bar tapas (£3-£5 each, three for £12, four for £15 or five for £18) are ideal for sharing and options like the baba ganoush and hummus dips are clearly homemade. If you have more time, opt for a main (£5.50-£11) with a side (£2.50-£4). The bowl of steamed mussels is served with a Suffolk cider sauce, shallots and sage and it goes well with Graphic’s chunky, excellently cooked chips. The butternut squash risotto is also a winner: the risotto rice is given a great kick by the rocket and sweet cubes of roasted squash and sage on top.
Still space for dessert? How does dark chocolate truffle and white chocolate mousse sound to you? Yes, thought so…
The Drink
Home to a Juniper Society event and boasting one of the largest selections of gin in the UK, the most striking feature are the novelty paint tins used instead of glasses for their trademark punch (£6.90). Choose from five potent concoctions based on different gins: Red has fresh raspberries and a sweet and tangy side, while Yellow is infused with syrupy Maraschino cherry liqueur. An oversized gold paint tin (£95) is also available, including a bottle of champagne and a mix of Tanqueray Ten, organic fruit juice and honey. For something less conspicuous, you can choose from a satisfying list of classics and signature cocktails (£6-£10), mocktails (£5), hot and soft drinks (£2-£3.60), beer and a couple of bottles of wine.
The Last Word
Fresh is the word that best describes Graphic, especially when you consider its regularly evolving design. Even if you preferred the way it used to look or the novelty value of the tin glasses wears a bit thin, the buzzy atmosphere and decent drinks will keep enticing you back.
Graphic has been reviewed by 19 users