Sky Garden - Sky Pod Bar

Sky Lounge - Sky Pod Bar

http://skygarden.london

20 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 8AF

The patient and hopeful search for sunset in the city (in rainy cold season) has brought me and my date to the high up gardens in the sky - otherwise known as the Sky Garden.

Unfortunately, we didn't quite see the sunset due to the windy and rainy early evening but we did get a good view of the stunning gray-blue dusky skyline. First impressions when entering the Walkie Talkie building was something out of a thriller movie - well organised entrance welcome with a strong side of full security scanner arch! That did get me into a bit of an excited mood as I suddenly started worrying if I was carrying anything on me to warrant the security to pull me aside. After the all clear, we step straight into the lift and up to the Sky Garden!

First thoughts when we walk through the doors into the vast open garden space are: I feel like a tourist. This place doesn't quite match what I had in mind from a sky high bar. I was expecting intimate space and what I saw at first glance was more like a viewing platform with no chance of getting a seat at any of the tables set out in the open.

We decided to have a walk around the gardens to get acquainted with the vast garden spaces and play a bit of tourist ourselves by trying to capture the beautiful views of London. Going up the sides of the garden along the windows, I am pleased to find a lot of cosy little sitting spaces 'in the forest'. I am feeling much more cosy than I initially found myself walking into this large space of green in the sky.

On to explore the Sky Pod bar menu...I decide to get a warming lucky-dip Martini as I find there aren't any at all (!) on the menu. I scan through the menu for hints of juices or fruits and flavours they might have and type of flavours that they could feel comfortable playing with. I pick a fresh and easy Grapefruit flavoured Martini -  Tanqueray gin based Martini, shaken with a twist. As I reveal my order I wait for the confused look on the barman's face and find that they politely hide the fact that they have no idea what I have just asked for. 

My date chooses a cocktail from the menu, Out to Sea, a beautifully garnished flute glass cocktail which is made up of Havana 3YrO, Amaretto, passion fruit juice, cocoa, lime juice, pineapple juice and grenadine. 

  One sip and my tastebuds travel from fruity tropical flavours to sweet marzipan-like Amaretto in a creamy concoction. A drink you really want to sip on slowly to keep the taste lingering as long as possible. Beautiful flavour and beautiful presentation. A true romantic's drink.

Now on to my lucky-dip Grapefruit Martini. I am full of excitement at the thought of the flavour I am expecting from this drink. Sadly, I find the Martini quite flat and flavourless. The garnish of a grapefruit skin was a great finish to the drink but that's all I can say for the Martini. My heart sinks and I feel jealous of all the tasty cocktails being sipped around me. We spot beautifully garnished cosmopolitan-like drinks with a tuft of candy floss hanging over it (Pink Is The Question).

After a disappointing start, we try another cocktail to get a better taste of the range on offer. We go for the following:

Red Passion - Belvedere vodka, apricot liqueur, lemon, pistachio, passion fruit and redcurrants. What pulled me to this drink was the mention of redcurrants and pistachio. I thought it was an interesting mix and didn't really expect too much after my first drink. One sip and your eyebrows will rise in sudden unexpected punch of soft pistachio hint of fresh fruitiness. Every sip takes you away to a happy place. The drink is not as strongly fruity as you would expect from looking at the ingredients but instead, soft and healthy tasting fruit drink with a cloud of pistachio to sweeten up those fruits/berries. It is really quite refreshing yet pleasing.

Soho Sympathy - King of Soho Gin, Frangelico Liqueur, Mozart Black Chocolate Liqueur, vanilla sugar, bananas and cream. Garnished with 2 straws of white chocolate, this cocktail looks closest to your classic Pina Colada. At the outset you would probably expect to see some milkshake style drink with a chocolatey colour. How wrong all your ideas of the drink really are! This cocktail is so divine and full of surprises, it doesn't give away the ingredients in any distinguishable flavour. You certainly can't tell it has bananas and chocolate liqueur in it. Yet another surprisingly subtle cocktail with a leading Frangelico liqueur taste taking you on a dream holiday in the sky. Now that's called daydreaming.

Overall, I find out that the cocktail menus are put together quarterly and all barmen receive thorough training to ensure consistent delivery of these magical creations. Hats off to whoever comes up with these cocktails as all cocktails we chose from their menu were an unexpected surprise of flavours that really worked and you wouldn't normally find in your average cocktail bar. Unfortunately, the barmen don't seem confident in making up orders off menu and feel out of depth when having to use own initiative in delivering customers' requests.

I think this place is great for bringing your friends and relatives to prior to a meal somewhere as the cocktails from the menu really do take you away from your daily grind and transport you to a place that pleases your tastes and views that are breathtaking.

MM Rating 7 out of 10               Cocktails Rating 10 out of 10          Venue Rating 7 out of 10

(Martini Mule rating)