17-20 Ironmonger Lane,
The City,
London,
EC2V 8EP
(020) 7796 4991
The ViewLondon Review
Located in the basement floor of its restaurant, Shed’s a spot of glamour in the midst of The City.The VenueShed’s ground floor restaurant and basement cocktail bar is ideally located if you’re in The City and are looking for a place to eat, drink or chill out. The bar’s ceiling is exposed concrete – very industrial – and there’s a dark and glossy bar in the centre of the room, but the main talking point is the furniture. It’s completely mismatched, with practically no two pieces alike, from sofas to chairs and coffee tables. Choices of seats include modern, hard-backed plastic chair, a low, white minimalist sofa, or a booth upholstered in a bright flower pattern whilst everything from a wooden wagon to an antique-looking chest serve as tables to rest your drinks.
The AtmosphereThanks to its location mere minutes from Bank tube station, you can expect the clientele at Shed to be mainly City workers, with a few others who have heard about the place thrown in. The decor is a bit trendier and artsier than you’d expect for The City, though, so chances are word of mouth will draw in some other crowds as well. The music is low key and, although not particularly recognisable, sets the scene nicely. Service is spot on with recommendations – apparently the pomegranate and watermelon Martinis are two of their popular choices. PSPs, Rubiks Cubes and games like backgammon can be fetched for you if you fancy something to do besides drinking.
The DrinkThe vodka Martini is made well and mixed properly so that there’s an even balance of alcohol. The watermelon Martini, served with a wedge of juicy watermelon as a garnish, is sweet, subtle and refreshing without being overly sugary. Other drinks include a Shed Royale (raspberries, Chambord and Champagne), a Jasmine Tea (Ketel One vodka infused with jasmine flowers and apple juice) and a Black Bison (vanilla vodka, apple juice, blackberries, homemade vanilla sugar and lime). Prices range from about £7.50 to £10, and there’s a large wine list as well.
The Last WordThe drinks are well made and the decor very cool, especially for The City where the norm is either uber-traditional or over-the-top. A definite stop off if you’re in the neighbourhood.