Dom: There was once a man from Nantucket, as the limerick goes. Well, there were actually two lads: one from Croydon and one from Cornwall, and neither of them were even remotely close to New England, or even the States for that matter. They did, however, pay the Double Tree Hotel a visit to check out the new theme for their Sky Lounge bar, which is based on a New England theme. See, we weren’t just pulling your leg.
Rating
Cuisine
New England Inspired Seafood
In a Word
Really-really-hip (it’s hyphenated so it’s okay)
Appeals to
I’d say this would appeal to young, hip professionals with a busy social life and a disposable income that is begging to be liberated.
He or she is probably going to be in their late 20’s or early 30’s, and always on the prowl for something slightly different but very lavish.
Two Lads went to Nantucket…
In the heart of south east London (about a 7 minute walk north of Tower Bridge), we find ourselves at the entrance to the DoubleTree Hotel, where we are greeted by the staff, a live piano player and a very posh interior that I’m worried about breaking just by looking at it. Conscious of this (and I mean CONSCIOUS), I ask the concierge where the Sky Lounge is, to which he helpfully directs me to the elevator at the back of the lobby.
With its own lift and a doorman checking the guest list, you already get the impression that this is very exclusive – although I can’t be sure if this was just for the press night or if it’s always like this.
Atmosphere and Decor
As soon as you reach the main bar area you’re instantly blown away by the surroundings. With 360 degree views of the London skyline, it’s an incredible sight to see; and as the sun gradually sets it’s even more impressive. However, I would suggest taking a second layer of clothing as it turns quite brisk as the evening progresses. There are also blankets on offer, but they tend to get snatched up quickly (believe me, we tried), so don’t forget a second layer!
As for the interior itself, I suppose a stylish beach hut would be the best way to describe it. The entire bar area is made up of decking with muted blues, reds and yellows throughout; you can see some buoys and fishing nets hanging from the rafters and what looks like potted beachgrass? I’m definitely asking for potted beachgrass the next time I’m at the garden centre.
And if this didn’t make you feel beside the seaside (oh I do like to be beside the sea), the bar staff are all wearing boat shoes, shorts and Breton shirts. Hopefully this will distract you from the fact that you’re a couple of hundred feet above the ground and nowhere near the coast. WARNING: vertigo sufferers… this shit be high.
How about the overall atmosphere? It’s very young and trendy – you can see a DJ at the back spinning the chart toppers with a lot of very fashionable, young professionals chatting the night away. Thankfully the music isn’t obnoxiously loud, so you can have a conversation without a megaphone. There are stools along the outside of the bar which boast amazing views of the city, with a few couches at the far end next to lighthouse. I forgot to mention… there’s a lighthouse.
I must admit that, overall, it is a lovely place to spend an evening with friends. After a few cocktails and watching the sun set over London, you really do become entranced by everything around you.
The Drink
As you would expect, the drinks menu is predominantly cocktails with a summer theme – all of them are vodka based with a fruit mixer of some sort (cranberry, pomegranate, grapefruit, etc). The only exception is that one of them also has Lanson Champagne… and it’s bloody lovely. The prices are fairly reasonable, with the majority of the cocktails costing £7.50, and the most expensive (the bloody lovely one) at £15. You can also buy them in pitchers which are very cost effective if you’re in a group of four or five.
Aside from the cocktails, the drinks menu is very limited. The only beer on offer is Samuel Adams and you only have one brand for each variety of wine, so not a good selection if nothing takes your fancy. The prices aren’t outrageously expensive (well, for London anyway) – £29.50 for the bottle of white (pinot grigio) and rosé, and £39.50 for the red (shiraz). Overall, I think they would definitely benefit from a bigger variety here.
The Food
So the menu is basically a collection of high-end bar snacks rather than a formal a la carte menu. And in keeping with the New England theme, the menu is 100% shellfish (mussels, lobsters, clams, etc). For any veggies out there, there is a vegetarian option but I think they were lacking in creativity here as a “wedge of iceberg with buttermilk dressing” and “smoked sweetcorn chowder” doesn’t exactly sound enticing.
You can either buy an individual selection of dishes averaging at a price of £8, or combo for about £30-£40. The prices are okay… ish. If you’re going to be conservative (i.e. one cocktail each and a combo to share between two), then you could probably get away with paying around £25 per head.
However, if you’re going let your wallet have a mind of its own then it’ll be closer to £40 per head. Granted this is expensive considering the Nantucket Beach Club isn’t technically a restaurant, though you do have to take account of the fact that you’re also paying for the view here – which is stunning as we know already.
Seafood Survival Bucket
We didn’t get a chance to try everything on the menu as they were only giving out samples – we did, however, get a bucket of shellfish and some parmesan cheesy chips (yes, I did say parmesan). Now I can be quite picky about seafood, and given that I already knew this wasn’t a restaurant I was dubious about the quality, but it was absolutely fine.
Everything from the mussels to the lobster was wonderfully prepared, and the parmesan chips were just… awwwww, mate, the parmesan chips were well nice! The only thing I would say is that it’s actually quite tricky to eat considering you have to break open the crab and lobster at a bar for all intents and purposes – I even cut myself after having a disagreement with the crab shell. It’s honestly fine, though, because I’m here and guess where he is… MY BELLY.
Dessert
Now this is how you make a doughnut: dark chocolate glaze, creamy custard and it even had edible gold shavings on the top – it wasn’t too rich either (badum tish). A few more certainly wouldn’t have gone amiss as the portion size was quite small. The other thing is that I can’t actually find the doughnuts on the menu, so I’m not sure if this was a limited offer for the opening night. I hope not.
The Verdict
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Sky Lounge’s Nantucket Beach Club. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as the idea of a bar that also offers food sounds a bit dubious – I’ve had a few bad experiences with similar concepts in the past, but I didn’t find this at all on my visit. The food is lovely, the atmosphere is wonderful and the views are absolutely stunning.
Whilst the price is on the expensive side (well, for me anyway), the views and the experience definitely makes up for that – we certainly won’t disappointed. So if you want good food in a wonderful setting, why not pop over to Sky Lounge and check it out. The theme will be running for the rest of September, so you still have time before the summer ends. Having said that, has the summer even started yet?
The Details
Double Tree Hotel
7 Pepys St
London
EC3N 4AF
020 7709 1000
