Welcome to The London!
Located in Downtown Nassau on Charlotte St. (a street popular for international eateries including the Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant), The London Tapas & Cocktail Bar is true to its name, located in a quaint two-story building, and is perfect for a fun happy hour and light finger foods in their brightly colored downstairs area filled with plush seating, small tables and incredibly stunning art. I am a sucker for great art! Their upstairs seating is more suitable for group events with long tables and dark blue seating. One of my closest friends, Natasha and I wanted to have a light Saturday lunch (we love food) and she treated me to this relaxing experience. We sat at the bar which featured pops of fresh herbs (like rosemary, thyme and basil) and copper accents (like cups and kettles) in the background.
Starting off she had the Girl from Soho (peach schnapps, white rum and pink grapefruit, it has an ombre color effect) which she highly recommends and I can't recall the name of mine but it was bitter. We then ordered the rum duck lettuce wraps as our appetizer and the presentation was phenomenal! It featured fresh orange segments, thinly sliced radishes and red onions with halved cherry tomatoes. We eat with our eyes and The London understands this aspect of food psychology by presenting their dishes in a tantalizing way. The duck meat was still warm when we got it and it was drizzled with just the right amount of sauce. I tasted the ginger right away and we both agreed that it was a delight to eat. When dining, I often choose seafood or a plant-based dish, so this time I was able to combine the two! I had the quinoa which was filled with colorful vegetables and superfoods like kale, corn, red onions and chunks of sweet potato, along with slices of avocado and crumbs of feta cheese. I was impressed with the presentation as it was placed in a bowl and had a layered effect that presented the food beautifully. The salmon fillet was a perfect size, also moist and flavorful. I dislike when seafood is prepared dryly, and this did not disappoint. All of the ingredients looked fresh and bright, and I could also taste the herbs used to prepare them. To my surprise, I had no room to finish it all and politely left with the rest of my food in tow. I would highly recommend this dish and order it again. Natasha ordered the steak and fries which featured a prime sirloin steak, hand-cut French fries and a small salad. Honestly, her steak looked MASSIVE (lol) and I was impressed by the portion size of it. I also thought the fresh greens on top were a nice touch.
We laughed, reminisced, and talked about stopping by today before taking more photos. We also could not resist getting a video in their popular telephone booth which is a replica of the red British telephone kiosks found throughout London. These booths were originally designed in 1935 by British designer and architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, and some are even protected by law. For food, experience and ambiance, The London is an excellent choice for Happy Hour, group dining, or a Saturday lunch treat (like we did). I would recommend more so in the evenings (after most businesses are closed) as parking is hard to find (I parked by the old Post Office area) and I would more so recommend small groups as the bright yellow found on the lower level is more inviting and engaging than the dark blue upstairs. I also noticed tourists who stopped by just for drinks and small chats before leaving, so it is certainly a spot for a quick hangout. Overall, I rate it a 9/10!
Have you visited The London Tapas & Cocktail Bar? Let me know your favorite dish or drink below. How would you rate it?