Located on Pudding Lane near Monument, the street famous for the start of The Great Fire of London, the bars décor of warming copper tones, charcoal, metal, warm woods and the flickering lights of candles throughout is a nod to the area’s history.
The bar focuses on cocktails, sake, rare spirits and wines, chosen by Wine and Sake Sommelier Jean-Louis Naveilhan and guests can enjoy drinks in one of five unique spaces including ‘The Vault’ which boasts its own self-service bar. Settled into a table and sipping a glass of Prosecco (Superiore Giavi, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG 2015, Italy) it’s easy to notice how the décor evokes the venue’s industrial past, with exposed pillars, warm leather booths and marble and rustic wood top tables. I visited to try their Festive Menu, comprised of seasonal small plates. I dined in the main bar area which comes complete with a DJ booth for after-hours partying in the lead up to the weekend. The dishes themselves were delicious, combining unique tastes and textures and served on bespoke ceramic plates, each handmade and unique. The stand-out dish for me was Venison Rendang. The tender meat oozed flavour and paired well with glasses of red wine (St Chinian Le Secret des Capitelles, Languedoc-Roussillon 2013) that accompanied the menu.
After dinner, I tried two cocktails. First up was the Cherry Blossom (Nikka Blended Japanese Whisky, Yuzu Sake liqueur, sour cherry, bee pollen and lemon juice) I have always been a fan of Nikka Whisky and I was excited to try it in a cocktail. Boy, it didn’t let me down. The combination of the whisky and sour cherry made for a deliciously tangy sweet and sour taste. Very drinkable. Next was the Kitsune, which compromised of an Electric Daisy palate cleanser, followed by Plantation Original dark rum, Banana-infused Campari and Pineapple-infused Cocchi Torino Sweet Vermouth. Little did I know I had saved the best for last. The Acmella Oleracea, also known as the ‘electric daisy, a small flower is chewed and sends a pleasurable and tingling electric shock through the mouth, which may seem daft and unpleasant, but trust me if was one of the best experiences I’ve had. The flower was followed by a refreshing bitter-tasting (in a good way!) cocktail. In its entirety, it’s meant to awakens the senses and act as a palette cleanser.
Ember is a real gem that I expect to glow and set the city alight..in all the right ways.
Ember
1a Pudding Lane, EC3R 8AB
