 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
| |
|
 |
|
| |
| SKETCH |
 |
9 Conduit Street
London
W1S 2XG
Reservations: 08707774488
Open to the public (daytime): 10am-5pm
Reservations only (evening): 7pm-2am |
|
REVIEW:
Eat Music Drink Art is a catchphrase well chosen
by the creators of Sketch, and they have done well
in capturing all four golden eggs in one sleek basket.
Pass the tempting delicacies of the patisserie –
be brave – and head straight for the clear
red doors of the West Bar. With a seating capacity
of forty – or eighty standing - the bar, although
empty during the time I visited (3.00pm until 5.00pm
on a Tuesday) felt somewhat cluttered by the furniture.
Initially, the bright lighting did little to warm
me to the room but they were dimmed in preparation
for the arrival of the members later on.
The menu is the size of a daily tabloid; the drinks
on offer laid out in equally as hap hazardous a
fashion. I had lost interest by page two and opted
to seek the barman’s advice.
My colleague suggested a hot toddy and the barman
served up a satisfactory tipple to stave off the
cold sterility of the room. Bar manager Simon Robinson
seems to have a team well set behind the bar. The
service was efficient and helpful, the barman well-informed
and immaculately presented. At 5pm the atmosphere
began to buzz with the arrival of staff shifting
discreetly hidden furniture from inside the walls
of the West Bar into the Gallery (a door on the
right). This room is a space left open to view films
by the likes of Ewen Spencer and Gerard Cairaschi
as well as George Chakravarthi and Claire Davies
but at night sinks into the smoky arms of a buzzing
brasserie.
Leading out of the West bar via the gallery, is
the East Bar where the barman stands within a circular
curl of light at virtually ground level. It is a
rather disconcerting experience since I could not
help but wonder what accidentally dropped missiles
the staff would suffer – despite the envious
views of bronzed calves and perspectives Big Brother
producers would kill for.
Noe Duchafour Lawrance and Mourad Mazouz have opted
for a minimalist, near Philippe Stark approach in
their design and Mehbs Yaqub has added futuristic
chic a la Alien to the blend. I paid a visit to
the men’s and was impressed by the jewelry
box effect the many mirrors created. To call the
ladies and gents sweeping above the womblike East
Bar toilets, would be a crude stroke of the literary
and visual scalpel for the strong, yet delicate
mortal design, complete with gleaming oval eggs.
Upstairs in the Library Lecture room the capacity
of the restaurant is of 55 people and the price
policy is somewhat elitist but expected.
Chris Levine’s lighting arrangement offers
warmth to what would otherwise be a cold environment
while Pierre Gagnaire offers a demand for good service,
high quality drinks, plenty of eye candy to liven
up the decor and a quite expensive bill for the
treat. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
