Hidden away in the heart of busy Dublin is the new Vintage Cocktail Club. Almost impossible to find, we walked past the building more than once before spotting the small sign on the door. But this secretive start gave the cocktail club an exclusive presence and had us anticipating a unique evening before even walking inside.
We were directed up into the building having had our names checked on the door and were pleasantly surprised by the effective low lighting and the exclusive atmosphere. The interior design of the VCC was very impressive and featured draped curtains and old style sofas to uphold the vintage theme.
We sampled a number of cocktails at the VCC and found them all to be faultless, and the menu very varied. The first to be sampled was a Cucumber Cooler, which contained Plymouth gin, green apple flavours, cucumber, elderflower and fresh mint. As expected from the title, the cocktail was very refreshing and light. A perfect palette cleanser.
The second drink we sampled was The Dirty Wizard. Its intriguing name almost doesn’t do this impressive drink justice. Chilli vodka, soft citrus, raspberries and blackberries, and a ginger bread rimmed glass, all merged into a powerful an unique blend of strong flavours. Definitely one to try.
“This cocktail club certainly knows how to engage their guests.”
We also tried Purple Pearl and Twister Pepper. Both vodka based drinks, the first was light and included an amalgamation of blackberries and citrus fruits, while the other had a herby base and included hints of elderflower, bay leaf, basil and celery.
While sipping on our delicious cocktails we also enjoyed the Vintage Cocktail Club’s range of dishes. The first dish we tried was a plate of crispy rosemary risotto balls served with herb puree and poached egg. An original idea, the dish was delicate but strong enough to stand up to the flavours of the cocktails.
We also tried the ginger beef and the seared scallops with chargrilled cauliflower puree. Both dishes were cooked perfectly and the ginger beef in particular was another unique but well-executed innovation from the VCC. We also enjoyed a side of shoe string fries served with spicy pepper aioli. As with the other dishes served in the Vintage Cocktail Club, the fries were extremely impressive and out of the ordinary. This cocktail club certainly knows how to engage their guests.
The Bill: £65 per head
