BAR: A Bar With Shapes For A Name

Inspired by the Bauhaus movement, where aesthetic meets design utility, A Bar With Shapes For A Name is unique in its presentation; bartenders are dressed in the same jumpsuit of different colours, wrap-around bar commands the eye upon entry, and cocktails are predominantly pre-batched. And yet, despite the focus on clean geometries and a short cocktails menu, the supposed simplicity is deceptive.

A Bar With Shapes For A Name is located in Haggerston and recently underwent a refurb in order to accommodate more guests (the bar manager I spoke to said that on busy nights people were stood crammed against the walls; not the kind of vibe they want). The effective doubling in size of the bar due to the refurb has lent it a bustling vibe without the actual bustle; there is space here, but the music and movements from the bartenders still ensure an air of liveliness and buzz.

As for the cocktails, there are six signature cocktails and six classics on offer and - while no more than four ingredients are listed for each cocktail - they are deceptively complex. Take, for example, the Habanero.

This is the second drink of the night that I had, consisting of yellow habanero and campari. Poured from a bottle, it was clear that a decent amount of sugar had been added to the mix in order to temper the heat of the Habanero (the heat gave just a little kick, and would have been overwhelming if no sugar was added). This was likely left to infuse for many hours, and the sugar gave the drink an almost syrupy mouth-feel. While not my favourite of the drinks that I had (due to the incredible alcoholic sweetness to it) it was clear that the pre-batching was necessary to achieve complex flavour profiles.

But before this, I had the drink that A Bar With Shapes For A Name are most well known for, the Pastel. Consisting of grey goose vodka, rhubarb, recomposed lime and capreolous raspberry, the Pastel has the makings of a fruity prosecco, sharp, fresh and carbonated. It pales in comparison to the last drink I had of the evening, but is still definitely worth ordering. The arrangement of ice cubes is also something to behold.

But the winner from this evening, and in fact one of the best drinks I've ever had, is the Kazimir. Consisting of grey goose vodka, peach yoghurt, and absinthe, this really took me by surprise. The smell of anise from the absinthe is strong when you bring the drink to your lips, but really indistinct in the taste of it. The peach carries through, making this a highly alcoholic drink that contains a mere whiff of alcoholic taste. A delicious cocktail that you have to be careful not to down, it's that good. A fresher, slightly more intense cocktail compared to the Pastel, this is one reason why I will return to A Bar With Shapes For A Name.