REVIEW:
Dark, grey, small and sparsely decorated, Thirst is not, on first impressions, what you might call cosy. From the outside you might even wonder if the place is open. Once you have established that it is, and have worked out that the entrance is round the corner, make sure you head straight for the downstairs bar as it tends to be less busy than upstairs. Once inside, don’t expect to be able to see your friends again until you get outside as the only lighting comes from small tea lights on the few tables, and the Fire Exit sign. If you manage to find a table, don’t bargain on your posterior being rewarded with plush cushioning, instead prepare your cheeks for the cold, hard comfort of formica.

But, don’t let the minimalist feel and the dark put you off (you know what your friends look like, why do you need to see them all night?) as Thirst is quite a nice little bar, un-pretentious and accommodating. On a Friday night, the punters tend to be young Soho office types out toasting the birth of the weekend, and up for a good night on the town. Saturdays tend to be busier, and be prepared to mingle with the usual Soho crowd. Music is provided by the DJ along the lines of laid back house, mixed in with some classic disco numbers to get your cocktail-fuelled hips shaking. There isn’t a dancefloor as such, but if you fancy showing them all how it’s done, the area in between the bar and the seating area doubles as a dancefloor when it starts to get funky.

The menu is made up of a selection of old favourites, such as the Mojito, Bloody Mary and the Woo Woo, as well as classics with a contemporary twist such as the Fetish and Blackberry Collins. Make sure that you check out the Cadillac Margarita if you fancy something to make your cheeks pucker – muddled limes, sugar, Tequila, Cointreau and Grand Marnier. Silent, but deadly.