Restaurant: Oblix lounge bar
Where? Level 32, The Shard, London
Vs… Lisa Cowan, Online Features Editor
What? The cool, more informal sister bar & lounge to Oblix restaurant at the top of The Shard. 'Breath-taking' doesn't even cover it.
What's the crowd? Cool media types, small groups and couples. A cool, New York-esque vibe permeates.
We ate… A lot! The diverse menu is created for sharing and we were expertly guided to all the best, stand-out dishes by our waitress Bella, as well as the general manager Juan (a transplant from NYC) who couldn't have been more helpful. We feasted on plates of soft-shell crab, flat breads and venison tartare, followed by melt-in-the-mouth pork ribs and lamb cutlets. Being able to enjoy it all while soaking up the twinkling London cityscape was a very special experience.
We drank… Delicious cocktails, mocktails and a supreme selection of reds from California... all under the guidance of expert sommelier Walter.
Don't forget to ask for… A table by the window - the views are, quite literally, out of this world.
The perfect +1 is… Your partner, your best friend or someone from out of town that you really want to impress. This has 'wow' written all over it.
The overall impression: When the elevator opens on the 32nd floor, the hectic hubbub of London Bridge literally melts away. After being led along a dark corridor, you find yourself in a buzzy, inviting bar environment, populated by high, sharing tables and lower tables for twos and fours dotted alongside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Beside gawping at the views, the atmosphere of the lounge bar is relaxed yet upbeat - a refreshing change from most rooftop locations which trade on the views and let lots of other areas of the experience slide. The food, the service and the evening as a whole was a resounding 5/5. Returning is already on the agenda.
OBLIX bar & lounge: Level 32, The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY, T: 020 7268 6700
