In celebration of their one-year anniversary, bar tending trio, Tom Finnon, Daniel Crowther and Bruce Lerman partnered with Barcadi Brown Foreman and DC Shoes to create the new season of The Hedonist Project: The Alpine Ski Lodge otherwise known as, Get Piste. As the first bar in the UK to reinvent itself seasonally, The Project has been formerly known as Trader Dan’s Surf Shack and Liquor and Whiskey.
The main event was obviously the cocktail menu, which was filled with festive winter drinks, such as mulled wine and, my personal favourite, a cinnamon spiced, Jack Daniels based cocktail served in a copper mug. Each drink was carefully crafted in front of us, covered in all sorts of fruit, spices and winter touches that made the ski lodge theme all the more convincing. The individuality of each drink formed an exclusive sense to the night while their aesthetic contributed to the winter décor. One of the more popular cocktails is named ‘Winter Rose’, stained a vivid pink and flavoured with Vodka and raspberry.
After a few too many cocktails we were served a Swiss-style fondue, which we dug into with wooden spoons to find steaming, melted cheese with slices of potato hidden underneath. The entire dish dissolved in my mouth as the rich flavours intertwined with each other and the added saltiness of the bacon created a perfect complementary taste. The entire bowl had just the right amount of richness. Despite it being a dish I would never usually order, I found it to be delicious and fitted effortlessly with the ski chalet vibe of the bar. Other people were served Continental style cheese boards, which also looked tasty. My only disappointment is that I didn’t get to try more from the main menu, based upon continental/Mediterranean mezze, including a pitta, humus and olive platter. Although, there is something for everyone on the menu from fish and chips for the fussy eaters to a classic super food salad for the healthy foodies. I fully intend to go back to try out the rest of the food, despite it being on the pricier side of the student budget.
From the cocktail names to the rustic interior décor to the Continental style food, I was immediately impressed by their attention to detail. The small, intricate parts like the candles dotted around the room and the sprinkling of powdered spices over the cocktails created a special atmosphere to the bar, which captured the intimate cosiness of a ski chalet. Despite being in the crowded city centre, we were transported into a log cabin in the Alps from the moment we walked in the door. They successfully managed to build a chilled out, cosy atmosphere; perfect for the run up to Christmas.
George Arkley
Image: https://twitter.com/hedonistproject