Neither a bar nor a restaurant, The Rogue Trader is a funny little place that seems to want to have its curry and eat it.

The Venue
The Rogue Trader is styled as a bar and contemporary Indian restaurant but the size of the venue doesn’t really allow for it. Half of this small establishment is a dining room and takeaway, which is fine in itself, but consequently the drinking area feels like just an ordinary bar in an Indian restaurant – small and perfect for a quick beer when waiting for your takeaway.

There’s a function room upstairs, which might have made more sense to use as the main restaurant as the bar feels too small and too close to the dining area to visit on its own. The decor is impressive, however, with clean lines and modern fittings throughout.

The Atmosphere
Due to the strange mix of two disciplines that aren’t entirely separate or well combined, the Rogue Trader suffers from an almost schizophrenic atmosphere. If you’re there for either dining or drinking you never feel like your experience is entirely exclusive. Therefore, as a bar it doesn’t really work – there’s just not enough room or separation to stop you feeling like you’re intruding on diners eating their, albeit impressive looking, food.

The Drink
A good choice of beers is testament to the venue doubling as a restaurant, with lager staples such as Kronenburg and Stella complemented by Tiger and Cobra. There’s also a good wine selection but you get the feeling that most is quaffed as an accompaniment to a meal, as opposed to when enjoying the Rogue Trader as a destination bar. The coffee is well worth trying though, being strong, of good quality and perfect for after a meal.

The Last Word
The Rogue Trader is probably a very good Indian restaurant but as a bar? Even Nick Leeson wouldn’t be able to blag that.

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