Pink Chihuahua Soho
25 – 27 Brewer Street, London W1F 0RR
020 7734 7711/http://elcamion.co.uk/cocktail-bar/
Open Mon-Sat – 6pm-3am
A great barman should be a scientist, artist, chef, manager, entertainer, whirling Dervish, social worker and best friend all blended into a singular personality whose facets are only fully realised in the most bespoke of drinking establishments. The late Dick Bradsell, the ‘Godfather’ of the contemporary London bar scene, was such a barman. You might not have heard of him but you have almost certainly drunk one of his cocktails. The Bramble, the Espresso Martini and The Treacle are all his creations. One of Dick’s final gigs was at Soho Mexican Cantina El Camion and its underground bar, the Mexican-themed agave bar the Pink Chihuahua.
In a post-Dick world the El Camion team have rather cleverly poached one of Tony Conigliaro’s top lieutenants to create the bar’s new drinks menu. Tony has been called (by me) ‘The Dark Prince of London Mixology’ and is probably the most creative voice in the contemporary drinks scene. The new Pink Chihuahua drinks list is called ‘Fun With Dick and Jane’, and is a lubricious take on the children’s books. It features a ‘collection of luscious libations …a mixture of brand new creations, twisted favourites, and adored classics.’ Dick B’s creations are listed in the …’Fun With Dick’ section and includes the eponymous Pink Chihuahua cocktail.A chapter elegantly titled ‘Wanky Bartender Drinks’, features the Tequila Solero, a tropical mixture of Olmeca Altos Blanco, Passion fruit, Vanilla, Lime juice, Milk and Cream). A classics list includes the Tequila PX Manhattan made with Olmeca Altos Reposado stirred with Pedro Ximenez Sherry and bitters, and the strong and smoky Mezcal Sazerac.
The bar itself is a dimly-lit psychedelic cantina with an appropriate soundtrack playing at inappropriate levels-the sort of place you might stumble into if Tarantino’s ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’ was an immersive VR experience and where a zombie apocalypse might be a common occurence.
The drinks are expertly blended by posh-boy-dropout types servicing the needs of the most devout drinkers with a missionary zeal. The Pink Chihuahua (£9) is a blend of tequila, lime juice, orgeat, pomegranate juice and egg white beaten to deliver a fluffy top. It’s an elegantly sexy little number with a hint of sourness that is perfectly balanced by the almond sweetness of the orgeat. The Hemingway Daiquiri (£10) is rum based with lime and grapefruit juices counterpointed by a maraschino liqueur to deliver a dry and complex flavour. Most outstanding was the Mezcal Sazerac (£11)- a medicinal blend of Alipus San Baltazar Mezcal, Absinthe, and Peychaud Bitters that takes you on a trip to the dark side from which you may not return.
The Pink Chihuahua is now my go-to place for late night fun, cutting some shapes (there’s a DJ) and serious drinking. To ensure entry it’s probably best to blag a membership and just remember that ‘Tequila is to wake the living-Mezcal is to wake the dead.’
The Pink Chihuahua is now my go-to place for late night fun, cutting some shapes (there’s a DJ) and serious drinking. To ensure entry it’s probably best to blag a membership and just remember that ‘Tequila is to wake the living-Mezcal is to wake the dead.’