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The Londoner's Guide to London
07 September 2008
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The Mirror Bar

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The Landmark,
222 Marylebone Road,
Marylebone,
London,
NW1 6JQ

0871 971 4184 Calls to 0871 numbers will be charged at a fixed rate of 10p per minute (from a landline or a mobile) no matter where you are within the UK. This number is unique to viewlondon.co.uk.

The ViewLondon Review

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Review byKelly Hussey18/10/2007
The Mirror Bar, located in the opulent surroundings of the 5 star Landmark London, blows other hotel bars out of the water. Superb service, expert mixologists and the best cocktails you’ll have ever tasted makes this a must-visit.

The Venue
The Landmark London is located a stone’s throw from Marylebone tube station. Although nothing to shout about from the outside, one step through its doors and you’re transported into a luxurious world and know you’re somewhere really special. The Mirror Bar is a bit of a trek through the hotel, unusual for hotel bars, which tend to be one of the first things that greet you, but this works as it makes it seem more like a destination rather than a fly-by stop. With a clever and nicely designed logo of The Mirror Bar mirrored back on itself, you’ll instantly know why it earned its name – that would be the corridor of mirrors.

Inside, the decor is lounging, although still upmarket, with comfortable seating that is great for settling into for the evening for quiet conversation over good drinks. Think of a living room in a nice house and you’re on the right track. The bar is down the far side of the room but with attentive table service you’ll not see much of it. The room is, overall, quite small, but somehow the bar can be busy but not feel cramped. In the middle of the room stands a display case where bottles of expensive drink and cigars are proudly shown off.

The Atmosphere
Upon entering the Mirror Bar, it is possible that some drinkers may feel a little intimidated. It may not seem the most inviting of places after you’ve walked through the extremely opulent surroundings of the hotel, past the expensive and formal restaurant, only to appear at a bar where sitting at a table is a must. However, persevere as minutes later, upon being shown to a seat by the attentive and friendly staff, you’ll sink into the comfortable seats and feel at ease. Other customers aren’t stuck up in any way, people are smiley and the chatter is a dim hum that makes the atmosphere great for a cosy chat, whether with friends, family or a date.

The staff are worth a particular mention, even the bar manager is friendly and down to earth – as can be seen from the many regulars who greet him fondly. However, there’s no cliquey feel just a friendly air of people who love the bar and come to experience it as much as they can. There’s a real passion for the art of cocktail making here and an expertise that is clearly evident. Ask the staff about the drinks and they’ll tell you in detail about the ingredients and thinking behind each cleverly put together concoction. Truly a big selling point of this bar and what stands it leagues ahead of similar venues.

The Drink
Although there’s a fine selection of drinks – with a good choice of British bottled beer, ale and pale ale, the cocktails here are nothing short of magnificent. Each more beautiful than the last, every offering has been lovingly prepared by an expert who takes pride and care in their work, producing masterpieces. There is an excellent selection of the classics, but also a nice choice of Mirror Bar specials that you won’t find anywhere else. These are invented based on complementing flavours and beautiful colours.

If you’re a fan of the classics then the martini here has been said by many to be the best martini they’ve ever tasted - and that is certainly the case. It’s kept perfectly chilled by placing the glass inside a larger, almost goldfish bowl-like glass with ice inside so as not to dilute the martini whilst keeping it at the perfect temperature. This drink slips down the throat smoothly, and even people who aren’t fans of this potent cocktail will be hard pushed not to appreciate it. They also do an excellent twist on the standard Pimms cocktail, which deserves a mention, and is a must for any Pimms fan - packed full of fruit and garnishes. With the regular addition of seasonal special cocktails, its worth coming back time and again. For example, a Christmas special, designed just for the festive season, does actually taste like Christmas in a glass. Cheesy? No, just incredible. Cinnamon around the rim of the glass and an apple pie flavour to the drink with whisked egg white on top and a garnish of cranberries make it look and taste amazing. Whatever the season, expect greatness.

The Last Word
The Mirror Bar is like Alice Through the Looking Glass - enter a whole new world and experience something special. Perfect cocktails, a friendly atmosphere and beautiful surroundings make for a great night out.
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03/09/2008 @ 13:25
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