Issy in the Smith & Sinclair pop up 'Flavour Room' holding one of the lollipops for the DIY alcoholic dib-dabs. I always find it fascinating to think I first walked into the Sanderson hotel's 1958 building on Berners Street in the 1990s, when it was the showroom for Arthur Sanderson & Sons and we picked William Morris wallpaper.
It is now part of Morgans Hotel Group and has been, since 2001, a chic & fun Philippe Starck designed 'boutique' hotel with a young trendsetting clientele. This is where we had our 'Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea' and I have also drunk in their 'Purple Bar' before.
This time we were honoured to be invited to try their Smith & Sinclair Christmas pop up bar with the hotel's General Manager Grant Campbell.
It is now part of Morgans Hotel Group and has been, since 2001, a chic & fun Philippe Starck designed 'boutique' hotel with a young trendsetting clientele. This is where we had our 'Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea' and I have also drunk in their 'Purple Bar' before.
This time we were honoured to be invited to try their Smith & Sinclair Christmas pop up bar with the hotel's General Manager Grant Campbell.
| The Welcome The large lobby is decorated in 'chic minimalism' at its best, boutique hotel genius Ian Schrager's involvement is still evident. I was impressed to be brought a bottle of water during my short wait, good service has not been sacrificed for style/design. Grant Campbell came to meet me personally and is a warm and personable young South African who was a pleasure to chat with. The Purple Bar The theatrical Purple Bar is a 'reservation only' small dark space and decorated in rich purple hues with etched mirrors, silk drapes and velvet. A sophisticated 'jewel box' of a bar. We were served by two 'hostesses', one from the bar and other one of the founders of Smith & Sinclair. Both were incredibly knowledgeable and keen to make it a memorable experience. Alcoholic Cocktail Pastilles We were first offered giant 'cocktail pastilles' on a silver tray. I picked the Long Island High Tea. You eat them in one go and I swallowed mine too fast to fully appreciate the black tea infused vodka & rum pastille coated with rasberry infused sugar. Smith & Sinclair Cocktails I ordered the 'Thyme for Tea' cocktail which was served in a glass teapot that 'dry ice steamed' impressively, despite it being a cold drink. The taste was whisky infused with Jasmin & bitter citrus. A touch of Prosecco made it fizzy and it was served in a Saki-style glass bowl. It was refreshing but fizzy whisky is something that will take me some time to get used to. Vaporised Scent The next new experience was inhaling vaporised scent of a pine forest using a straw. It all reminded me of my dinner in Alinea in Chicago and was fun. One More Smith & Sinclair Cocktail After this I also tried 'Summer Leftovers'. This was more my kind of cocktail. A sweet, floral & foamy nod to an Aperol Spritz, topped with edible gold. It was also served with edible perfume to sweeten it. I found it funny that I had had edible gold on my cocktail at dinner in Coya the night before too. During all this I had a fascinating chat with Grant about all his hotel experience, UAE visa issues, the Barbican area etc. The 'Flavour Room' Then we took a look at the 'Flavour Room' and I tried a second pastille. This time a gin & tonic with violet infused gin and lemon sherbet infused sugar. These were complex flavours and I may have to buy some of their sweets to fully appreciate them all. Long Bar & the Perrier-Jouët Enchanted Hanging Garden in the Courtyard Garden We then walked through the Long Bar with its iconic Philippe Starck chairs to the Perrier-Jouët designed Enchanted Hanging Garden. I could not believe this tranquil space was so close the madness of Oxford Street. Four Seasons Park Lane & The Dorchester After all these complex tastes I just wanted some very dry Grey Goose martinis. Four Seasons Park Lane & The Dorchester delivered these perfectly. The staff at both of these 'homes from home' treat me so well. I was brought my usual lobster rolls at the Four Seasons and Dorchester staff entertained me at the bar. As I was leaving The Dorchester I marvelled at their Christmas gingerbread hotel again. It has a perfect miniature version of the Penthouse where my 40th birthday party was held. 🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻 (7 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - a '7 teddy' evening. Grant Campbell is another hotel legend & was so sweet for covering my bill; Smith & Sinclair are a class act who make things fun & interesting; and the Sanderson staff provide perfect service. Four Seasons Park Lane & Dorchester staff deserve a special mention too. My tips:- book the Purple Bar well in advance; take a taxi from the hotel, Oxford Street late in the evening is not a pleasant place to be; and you must try to see The Dorchester's exquisite Christmas gingerbread hotel. |  We were first offered alcoholic 'cocktail pastilles'. I was shocked to be told their alcoholic content was equivalent to 1/2 a shot per 'sweet'.  The finishing touches to Grant's 'Voilet, You're Turning Voilet!' cocktail which is intended to evoke memories of Parma Voilets and their change of colour but with gin, Maraschino (sour cherry) Liqueur, Triple Sec (orange) & floral Violet Liqueur.  Grant's finished 'Violet, You're Turning Violet!', my dry ice 'steaming' 'Thyme for Tea' & Issy in his Four Seasons Bali Santa outfit, made for lunch at Four Seasons Hampshire.  Me trying to inhale edible vapour of a pine forest with a straw. I have Vlog footage of this, when you meet me.  My 'Summer Leftovers' cocktail being sweetened with edible perfume. This cocktail consists of vodka, St Germain (elderflower liqueur), Lillet (aromatised wine which I last tried at Four Seasons Park Lane), Triple Sec, Lemon & Aperol (bitter orange).  The Smith & Sinclair pop up 'Flavour Room' with the 'Cocktail Sherbet Wall' behind.  The iconic Philippe Starck chairs at the Long Bar. I think of these each time the Sanderson hotel's name is mentioned.  The Perrier-Jouët Enchanted Hanging Garden. A truly magical space, so close to Oxford Street.  The lobster rolls that are brought to me at Four Seasons Park Lane.  The Dorchester's Christmas gingerbread hotel has a perfect miniature version of the Penthouse where my 40th birthday party was held.  The Christmas gingerbread hotel at The Dorchester is so exquisite it even had a miniature version of itself in it. The sort of incredible detail The Dorchester Collection is known for. |
 www.sifrew.com's 'office' at The Bar at The Dorchester. |
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