BAR: Mr Fogg's Pawnbrokers

After a rather fine meal at Dishoom, I went for cocktails, and stumbled upon Mr Fogg's Pawnbrokers. I had been meaning to try Fogg's Tavern, but as this was one of the many branches of Mr Fogg's throughout London, I was happy to strike it off my list of bars by visiting the Pawnbrokers.

Decked out, like the name suggests, as a pawnbrokers, Mr Fogg's Pawnbrokers offers signature cocktails along with cocktails based on ingredients and flavours from four different continents.

We started off by having a Tea Leaf'd from Europe (Grey Goose L’Original vodka, bergamot liqueur, peach liqueur, apricot liqueur, passion fruit purée, Earl Grey tea syrup, fresh lime juice and orange marmalade) and a Priceless Heirloom from Asia (Bombay Sapphire gin, lychee liqueur, Essentiae lemon verbena liqueur, raspberry shrub, lime juice, topped with Franklin & Sons rose lemonade). The Tea Leaf'd came with an early grey biscuit, the cocktail itself being rather tart and biting. The Priceless Heirloom was a little more well-rounded and fruity, but equally as sharp as the Tea Leaf'd. My initial impressions of the cocktails were that they weren't particularly complex beasts, preferring immediacy and punch rather than interesting flavour profiles.

I then had a Sanuk Through Customs (Kaffir lime leaf-infused Smirnoff Black No. 55 Small Batch vodka, pear purée, ginger & lemongrass cordial, apple juice and fresh lime juices), which was a little spicy but just not on the same level as the type of ginger-infused drink you'd get at Satan's Whiskers or Swift, for example.

This last cocktail I can't even remember, it was that much of a nothing.

Overall, I can't really recommend Mr Fogg's Pawnbrokers. Uninspired cocktails with more style than substance.