Get the Jam Jars in!

Last week I drank 15 cocktails in approximately 3 hours. Now this may seem boastful, crude and more than a little lad-ish, but let me explain. It was all for a good cause, and I hope some of you may even benefit from it. The occasion was the Jam Tree's Cocktail Committee - a committee of local "experts" brought together to taste all of the contenders for their new cocktail menu, with the aim of whittling down 15 to the ultimate drinks list.

So, on a beautiful sunny Wednesday, I dutifully lined by stomach, and plunged right in. 15 drinks, 3 hours and, thankfully, a belly full of the Jam Tree's famous hot wings, asian squid and vegetable somosas later, the committee had spoken. Each drink was introduced by the barman that had created it, and we marked each for taste, appearance and originality. We had weird, we had wacky and we had lots of tasty. We drank the Marmalady out of a jam jar (this was a recurring theme) with an accompany mini-pot of marmalade vodka jelly. The Pearl Jam came with popping candy, and the Jaffaholics Anonymous tasted uncannily like an alcoholic jaffa cake. Both the All England Club and the Jelly Dream would have made the perfect desserts, tasting of strawberries and cream and Reese's Pieces as they did, whilst the Royale Tree and Dreadlock Rasta were fruity, yet sophisticated perfection.

It was a fantastic way to spend a Wednesday evening, sampling away to our heart's content in the Jam Tree's sunny garden with a fabulous group of locals and amazing hospitality from the pub's management and bar staff. I can't wait to see which make it on to the menu! Have a look at all the drinks below (except for the Fig Tree: sorry, I didn't get a picture of that fig-jam wonderment) - which do you think look the tastiest? And which have the best names?

The Jam Tree
541 King's Road
London SW6 2EB

All England Club

Jaffaholics Anonymous

Pearl Jam

Wham Bam Thank You Jam

Basil Faulty

Alabama Jammer

Bison's Kiss

Dreadlock Rasta

Jamhattan

Jelly Dream

Marmalady

Wu Jam Clan

Royale Tree

Ru Bar

Tiki-time, in SW6

Writing the cocktail column for DV8 magazine is one of the monthly appointments Sarah and I really look forward to, and ahead of their October issue we were excited to check out one of the newest bars on the Fulham scene, Kona Kai.

Kona Kai is a Polynesian themed bar with a fab location just a stones throw from Fulham Broadway station. The attention to detail is great, and as you enter you are struck by an array of wooden tribal masks, colourful ceiling lamps, woven-bamboo chairs and carved cocktail jars. The atmosphere is unashamedly fun, cheeky and unpretentious, plus I'm a sucker for a theme, so ticks all round there! For those of you who have visited Sugar Cane in Clapham Junction, you'll get the picture - Kona Kai is their sister club.

Apart from copious amounts of bamboo, florals and tropical motifs, the point of difference for any self-respecting Tiki bar is the philosophy around drinks. The drinks need to be STRONG! And golly, they really are. Traditionally, Polynesians used a blend of sweet, tropical fruit flavours to mask the taste of their potent bootleg rum. Whilst the alcohol at Kona Kai is of markedly better quality than what would have been available in the tropics a century or so again, the bar has remained true to the Tiki concept. Cocktails are full of sweet, tropical fruit flavours and they definitely pack a punch.

Our favourites of their fruity concoctions were the Lazy Afternoon and the, aptly named, Tiki Death Punch. The Lazy Afternoon contains 42 below Passion Fruit Vodka, Malibu Coconut rum, peach, pineapple and apple which whilst sweet, was definitely refreshing and tasted very tropical. The Tiki Death Punch is made to "James' secret recipe" but what we could tease out of the barman was that this one contains plenty of over-proof rum, grenadine and is topped with a healthy wedge of pineapple. This cocktail tastes good and is guaranteed to indicate the start of a pretty big night out! If those two cocktails haven't injected you with all of your 5 a day (there is after all half a fruit bowl in there) then we can suggest going off-menu and asking barman Vinne for his 'Green Fairy' cocktail. Gin-based, this cocktail fuses grapes, elderflower and lemon in a way which is at once fun and also adds a touch of elegance and glamour to this fun-filled location.

The drinks are also good value, and for those of you looking for a seriously fun, but inexpensive mid-week night out, Kona Kai offers a full complement of deals throughout the week. "Sundown Sundays" offer 2 for 1 cocktails and complementary food with table bookings, whilst "Exotica" Thursdays are an opportunity to drink £3.50 mojitos all day long. Saturday's happy hour is 4-7pm and for those looking to party in a group (this is definitely a good birthday party location), table bookings are free and require no minimum spend.

Whilst Kona Kai is not one of the more sophisticated venues in SW6, that's not what it's trying to be. This place is seriously fun, cheeky and really lives up the theme. We reckon it's perfect for a cheap night out in a large group, and would definitely recommend it for a birthday party. For a full cocktail review and our Barman of the Month feature with Kona Kai's Ben, check out DV8's October issue here

Kona Kai
515 Fulham Road
SW6 1HD.

Not open on Mondays

Steak, glorious steak... and a pretty mean Martini!

If you’re a fan of steak, I can tell you where to go. If you’re a fan of cocktails, I can tell you where to go. If you’re a fan of both... now I can, without a shadow of a doubt, tell you the best place to go.

Last week I visited Sophie’s Steakhouse on the Fulham Road, and it was UH-MAZ-ING! Situated on the stretch of Fulham Road known as ‘The Beach’, Sophie’s has been doing a busy trade for almost a decade and has a pretty substantial following of devotees. With one tweet announcing my intention to visit, I was deluged with suggestions of much loved cocktails, milkshakes and raves about Sophie’s special steak sauce. Feeling a little bit silly for not having visited before (it damages my pride a little to think I’m so late to the party with such a local favourite as this), I decided the only way to do it justice was visit post-haste, and go a little OTT whilst ordering.

Not being able to decide between all those cocktail suggestions, I left myself in the capable hands of my waitress and had her bring two drinks she thought I might like. Well, she must have been a mind-reader because the Kiki’s Mojito (Havana Rum, Raspberries and Pineapple Juice – this time jazzed up with a splash of champagne) and Chili, Passion Fruit and Vanilla Martini she returned with were spot on. I love any cocktails with berries in, and the Kiki’s Mojito walked the line perfectly between sweet and tangy. And next time anyone asks me for a drink’s recommendation, I’ll send them to Sophie’s for that Chili Martini – absolutely divine.

Having glugged down the cocktails (you know when something is just too good to savour?), we ordered a nice bottle of Rioja to help us was down the mains. And the copious amounts of sides. And that milkshake we just had to have at the end. The wine was a Viña Zaco Rioja in case you’re interested, and very nice indeed.

Although you can order hearty classics like fish and chips and Shepherd’s Pie, I felt I couldn’t very well go to a place called Sophie’s Steakhouse and not test out the meat. The boy felt likewise and soon a Fillet Steak and a Rib Eye were on their way to us. But not before we’d gobbled up the salami platter that arrived with our drinks, and a beautiful beef carpaccio that was so tasty we got most of the way through before we remembered to photograph it!

The meat at Sophie’s is not exactly cheap (you can get a minute steak for £12.95 if you’re a bit hard up, but the Chateaubriand costs an eye-watering £49.95 for two), but you can tell they take it seriously. Where most restaurants will simply list the cut on the menu, Sophie’s takes the trouble to describe the texture, level of marbling (that’s fatty bits to you and I) and differences in flavour. We ordered both steaks medium rare, and they arrived beautifully cooked, moist, flavoursome and with an equally delicious side of hand cut fries and béarnaise sauce. The chips also tasted fairly amazing when dipped in Sophie’s special Steak sauce, and extra smoky variant of BBQ sauce – yum yum!

Not wanting those poor steaks to be lonely, we may have gone a little overboard on the sides. Our neighbours’ eyes nearly popped out of their skulls as they saw the lettuce wedge with blue cheese and bacon arrive, followed by onion rings AND macaroni cheese. My absolute favourite had to be the mac ‘n’ cheese. It was extra indulgent, extra cheesy and definitely raised my chances of a heart attack by about ten notches (it would be worth it).

Rounding off, and I’m still not sure how we squeezed it in, we shared one of Sophie’s famous milkshakes. Having been recommended the Oreo one by a reader, I was mildly disappointed to find it was no longer on offer, but any such feelings were quickly dispelled with my first sip of my vanilla and toffee milkshake. De-lic-ious!

Sophie’s is a real all-rounder, and it’s no wonder we found it so busy late on a Sunday evening. The bar has a great vibe (all exposed brick, metal fixtures - loved the low hanging lightbulbs - and blackboards) and some excellent cocktails to match. The steak was really well cooked and in general the menu sticks to a hearty formula and delivers perfectly on it. It's also worth mentioning it that the service was brilliant, and both our waiter and waitress were really warm, welcoming and attentive. The booth we were sat in was pretty darn comfy too! I can’t believe I was so late to discover this one, but I’ll definitely be back again.

Sophie’s Steakhouse

311-313 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH.

Bookings: 0207 352 0088

Bringing Brazil to SW6

When you think of Brazil what do you think of? I think of sun, sea, Carnaval and caipirinhas. However, when I'm told to think about Brazilian cuisine, I tend to draw a blank. And I've been there! Granted I visited on some 5 day party jaunt in Rio where sampling the best of gastronomy did not feature highly on my to do list, but although I do only have the vaguest of memories of Feijoada and eating empanadas on the beach I couldn't elaborate on the food much more than that. So, it was with great interest that Sarah and I accepted an invitation to celebrate Brazilian Independence Day at Rodizio Rico, a Brazilian churrascaria based in Fulham Broadway. I may have not know what to expect food-wise (as it turns out - lots and lots of yummy meat!) but I knew we were in for a hell of a party...

Rodizio Rico sits on the site of the old La Tasca on Jerdan Place. It describes itself as a 'churrascaria de rodizio' - a traditional Brazilian grill - so as you might imagine, plenty of meat is the order of the day. As we settled in with a delicious Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil (cue a mixture of good and bad memories of the aforementioned trip), we sampled steak from the grill which was absolutely delicious - perfectly seasoned and deliciously juicy. As the Caipirinhas slipped down with disconcerting ease, we were also treated to traditional Brazilian cheesy bread, a selection of grilled meat and fajita style vegetables and dates wrapped with Parma ham. The food we sampled was really tasty and hearty, and for those of you who are serious about your meats you'll be pleased to hear that all the barbecued meat you could possibly want, unlimited hot dishes and access to a salad buffet will only set you back £23.50 - about the same as a rump steak in your standard restaurant.

Buoyed by good food and good cocktails, the Carnaval atmosphere was enhanced by a wonderful Brazilian drumming group, who kept us all upbeat throughout the evening, and accompanied by some very energetic and very scantily clad Brazilian dancers, who added a touch of Rio with their bejewelled bikinis and magnificent feathered head-dresses, even if they did make me slightly regret the excessive amount of canapés I had just consumed! The girls got the crowd dancing, and we spotted an array of booty shaking that ranged from the dubious to the suspiciously impressive, and even a couple of passing policemen were inspired to give their bottoms a cheeky waggle!

The evening was really great fun, and the owner and staff were all really upbeat and friendly characters who set the tone for the festivities. I'll definitely be going back to sample the full BBQ menu - not only is it seriously good value, but they'll show you a fabulous time too.

Rodizio Rico
11 Jerdan Place, Fulham Broadway
SW6 1BE

A taste of Shanghai... in Parsons Green!

Sarah and I were recently invited by the wonderful DV8 Fulham to visit Mao Tai, New Kings Road, to do a cocktail review for the magazine. Having previously clocked the fabulous sculpted bar, and slightly outrageous yet elegant goose-feathered ceiling lamps, I leapt at the chance to sample a little chinois sophistication. For her part, Sarah (who had already visited) couldn't wait to return.

Close as it is to Parsons Green, with its triangle of hearty British pubs, Mao Tai fills an important gap in the New Kings Road market - that for a beautifully appointed, date-friendly watering hole and restaurant. Refitted 5 years ago to include a beautiful 1940s Shanghai inspired bar, hand sculpted in Bath to include a fusion of European baroque (the candle holders were inspired by tombs in France) and pan-Asian motifs, Mao Tai has been a neighbourhood favourite for the last 30 years. Run by a wonderful local couple, Mark and Pat (it was Pat who designed the sumptuous interior), Mao Tai offers Pan Asian cuisine, both at the restaurant and as small sharing plates at the bar, a beautifully lavish private dining room, and possibly the largest selection of spirits that I have ever seen in a bar of that size!

At the bar, bartender Daniel explained that the emphasis is on bringing back some of that Old World Shanghai glamour, producing clean, classic drinks with a modern twist, using a selection of high quality spirits. For example, we sampled the Aviation cocktail, which was a firm favourite amongst the bohemian arts set (think Hemingway) at the Ritz, Paris in the 1920s. Clean, sharp and elegant, the Aviation takes gin as its base, and is sweetened with lime and maraschino cherries prepared on site. We also tried the sweet, but warming and reassuringly girl-friendly New York Sour, which takes Bourbon as its foundation, topping it up with Claret and maraschino. Continuing the classic cocktail theme we had a Gin 'n' Fizz (light and refreshing - made from Plymouth gin, elderflower and an artfully curled slither of cucumber) and the 'Spritz', which is made of Aperol (a slightly weaker version of Campari) and prosecco, and which is amazingly zingy and energising, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavours.

As mentioned before, Mao Tai stocks a huge range of spirits, many from lesser-known boutique producers. My Lychee Martini was made with gorgeous rose-infused Pinky vodka, and gin-lover Sarah was treated to a tasting session including Brockman's (blackberry infused) gin, UK staple Fifty Pounds Gin and Dry Fly, which is produced in a small Washington distillery.

I love Asian cuisine, so I couldn't wait to get stuck into some of the sharing platters served at the bar. Like the opulent yet elegant surroundings, the dishes were exquisitely presented, and bloody delicious. We tucked into Indian Ocean Tuna Rolls, Mediterranean Seabass Sashimi, Rock Shrimp Tempura, lightly battered chilli Salt n Pepper Squid and Crab and Ginger Vietnamese Rolls. I can honestly say they all totally hit the mark, and for those looking for a great date venue, cocktails and bar snacks at Mao Tai is guaranteed to impress (hint hint boyfriends)! If you're looking for a sophisticated place to catch up with the Ladies, you couldn't pick somewhere better for that either. All round - 5 stars. No wonder this place has been a such a firm local favourite for the past 30 years.

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