In the sterile hub of Liverpool Street springs this Turkish-Victorian bath house with secrets dug deep beneath its dainty yet dashing facade.

The Venue
Located in Bishopsgate churchyard, this building - formerly home to Turkish baths - burrows down into a subterranean spectacle. Once you descend the steep staircase of Bathhouse Bar, the two main rooms open up either side of you with the bar area to your left and the seated restaurant to your right.

The dim candlelight and collection of mirrors give the place the illusion of a larger capacity than it has and this, perhaps, isn’t the only sense in which its authenticity is called into question. The hanging velvet fez, Turkish patterns and curled corners of the furnishings that have been dug out from some designer’s Ottoman oeuvre are dangerously close to resembling the look of an upmarket Po Na Na. However, once quality is confirmed, the questions of taste are reigned back in and class emerges from the shadows.

The skeletal illustrations that adorn the mounted light boxes are special touches that provide a little spook to a room that almost resembles the palace from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and the fixtures and fittings are both chic and unusual. The restaurant area features circular tables and one or two private booths from which to enjoy the sounds of the nearby grand piano. Beyond the tables and chairs is a hybrid dance floor that accommodates a DJ and their followers.

The Atmosphere
Those with a taste for elegance will devour the Bathhouse Bar’s blue-blooded underworld. The candlelight casts perfect shadows across people’s faces and everybody looks charming at a distance. With this in mind, the place might develop something of a reputation for hosting a clientele as fanciful as its decor.

The young crowd at Bathhouse Bar is made up of fashion assistant types who parade themselves on sky high heels whilst rubbing shoulders with the scraggy and skinny men from the indie section of some radical style mag. This may sound a little pretentious but everything is set up to inspire a diverse crowd and with a bit of dress up, it’s a hoot. The staff are hurried and harangued by impatient drinkers but retain their cool under pressure.

The Drink
The Bathhouse Bar doesn’t rely merely on the glory of its location and the space it developed, it continues to press with an excellent selection of drinks. The shelves of the bar are lined with premium spirits utilised in the array of simple cocktails on the menu. Grey Goose vodka has pride of place on the racks and the multiple flavours are mixed with fresh juices like pomegranate and pineapple to create some nice long drinks. There is only one beer on draught and it’s the dry, Japanese Asahi. Among the bottles in the fridges making up the numbers though are San Miguel, Corona and Vedett.

The Last Word
The Bathhouse Bar is a well-executed attempt at extravagance that offers a little history along with its other favourable features. It will take no time at all to inspire a regular following.

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