Pre Dinner Cocktails at Bar Kohl
After trying a few restaurants to try to book a special Birthday meal for a Saturday night, we decided to try Hotel Du Vin Bistro after choices 1, 2 and 3 were fully booked!
This was rather fortunate as it allowed us to eventually make it to Bar Kohl, 54 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
We have passed this bar many times during the Edinburgh Festival, but are always rushing between shows. George IV bridge isn’t an area we often find ourselves wandering in as it’s the other side of town for us. This was an ideal opportunity to pop in!
We decided to arrive early for dinner and pop into Bar Kohl for a pre dinner drink. Bar Kohl comes highly recommended, so we couldn’t wait to try it.
To say it’s a Vodka bar would be doing it a disservice. It’s a Vodka Bar with a whole lot more going on besides.
The first thing that strikes you is the atmosphere. It’s warm, welcoming with background music loud enough to hear and enjoy but not so loud that you can’t chat. Lots of mixed tables from 2’s up to 16’s with some folks dining and some just enjoying drinks. The left hand side is more geared towards food and is lighter and brighter but if you walk right to the end and round the back you will come through into a more darker atmospheric bar. They were operating a one door system when we were there with the right hand door closed from the outside.
We were able to get a table in the window in the right hand side bar. Each table has old gin bottles with candles which really add to the theatre. The walls have blackboards with lots of drink suggestions and they specialise in Vodkas, Gin and Cocktails.
The menu is extensive and the Bar staff make their own syrups and juices which are displayed in large jars and jugs behind the bar.
I decided to opt for a HOODOO VOODOO! This came with Fifty pound Gin, Chase Rhubarb Liqueur, Strawberry Shrub, homemade Grenadine, Rhubarb Bitters and Hoodoo Craft Soda!
Raymond opted for a DELICIOUS SOUR which comprises of Jim Beam Red Stag, Disaronno Ameretto, Luxardo Maraschino, Fresh Lemon juice, Egg White and Angostura Bitters.
The name was correct….it did taste delicious!
Sadly we ran out of time for a second round as dinner was booked for 8pm!
We will certainly come back, but not just for drinks.
The bar makes a big thing about their burgers with them all being handmade and 100 Aberdeen Angus Scottish Beef. We counted about 26 different burger combinations! Check out the website for the full menu http://www.barkohl.co.uk/
For the quality of the cocktails prices were excellent.
If you find yourself in that area of town, be sure to pop in for a drink! We can’t wait to go back to try the burgers!