Simon H.
Google
I tried four different cocktails, “Port Well,” “Candlelight,” “Trinity,” and an off-menu Mezcal, tequila, coffee cocktail (a sweeter version of trinity). All of which, besides their presentation, were subpar and completely mismatched the other reviews of this bar.
“Port well” was by far the best drink, although the palate was completely dominated by the lime to the point where nothing else was really noticeable, transforming a theoretically complex cocktail into a decent one-note drink.
The rest of the drinks, however were completely unacceptable. They all shared the characteristic of being incredibly thin, to the point of tasting diluted. I sent “candlelight” back once, and “trinity” twice. Although the bartender insisted that nothing was wrong with them suggesting they could not have been diluted, they lacked any flavor in the opening and mid palate, with a decent finish that hinted at how good the drinks could have been.
After sending back “trinity” twice I had an extensive discussion with the bartender, he offered to make a variation that had simple syrup. This version was slightly better than the original, with the syrup boosting the mid plate, but still remained very thin, tasting almost diluted.
Out of the five drinks I received, including those sent back, five out of the six cocktails were incredibly disappointing, with the only passable cocktail being very one-note.
It’s important to mention, that of the many bars I’ve been to around the world, this is the first where I’ve actually sent even a drink back. Although the staff attempted to accommodate after I expressed my displeasure, their attempts fell short.
To add insult to injury, after expressing my disappointment in the second attempt at “trinity” the bartender offered to do something off menu to make up for it, and after some insistence I agreed, but was surprised to find it on the bill. I attempted to dispute this, but having had enough I just paid and left, leaving me with an extra sourness to the experience.
Overall I am left perplexed as to how the cocktails, comprising of creative mixes and a high level of promise, could end up being so bland and disappointing. After trying my best to enjoy my experience, I must unfortunately conclude that The Royal Cocktail Club is not worth visiting solely based on the palate of the cocktails.
