Newly opened and hotly awaited, The Mandrake is an independent hotel tucked away in Fitzrovia. Owned by Beirut-born businessman Rami Fustok, the RIBA-award winning converted hotel is a five star sensory experience whose hedonistic properties seep from every nook and cranny; from the eclectic art curation and bamboo-clad garden terrace to the polished hotel suites and Michelin-star restaurant that lie within its walls.
Waeska Bar at The Mandrake is located on the ground floor at the heart of the hotel, surrounded by an opulent collection of taxidermy, a luxury red velvet booth and miscellaneous sculptures. The Bar Manager Walter Pintus (The Ritz, The Connaught) encapsulates the hotel’s mystery and decadence within its refined cocktail menu; a selection of unfamiliar ingredients and rare spirits shaken together to create unusual combinations that work
I start light with the She-Devil – a blend of Somerset Brandy, Rhubarb Cordial, Campari, Sea Buckthorn Tincture and Ruinart Champagne served with a simple garnish warms up the evening with earthy and sweet notes that are clean yet balanced. The selection of bar snacks compliment without overpowering – the tapioca parmesan cubes and onion rings were highlights with a melt-in-your mouth The Hive, a cocktail made with Laphroaig Triple Wood, Beepollen Konbucha, Galangal, En Roma Sherry and Salted Orange blossom is as easy on the eyes as it is the palate, with its honeycomb tuile and crystal clear deoxygenated ice cube served straight up in a whisky glass.
All tinctures, syrups and bitters are made in-house, with alchemic concoctions such as the White Witch, a truffle-washed vodka, white bitters, vermouth and wattle seed tincture served with a chocolate twig, on offer. The new menu, to be released in early 2018, will again have an esoteric theme, created with Waeska’s trademark unfamiliar and magical ingredients, whilst keeping true to the roots of classic cocktail-making.
Waeska is a bar that like The Mandrake, radiates unique-ness, meticulous curation and attention to detail. With the hotel’s tranquil courtyard and array of art on its doorstep, the bar is set to be one of London’s most distinctive new watering holes.
For reservations visit www.themandrake.com or call +44 203 1467770.
The Mandrake
20-21 Newman Street
Fitzrovia
London
W1T 1PG
