TOZI Restaurant and Bar

TOZI Restaurant and Bar
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TOZIThe lovely thing about TOZI is that it doesn’t feel like a hotel bar. Although The Artesian at The Langham is the frequent winner of Best Bar accolades, the words ‘hotel bar’ always bring to mind an image of middle-aged businessmen, mournfully nursing a whisky in a dimly lit, dated room where the bar-staff have learnt not to ask too many questions.

But I was so enjoying the casual atmosphere and attentive waiting staff while drinking in TOZI that it prompted me to ask whether this was a family run business, or was branching out to more sites, at which point I was told that it was actually part of the Park Plaza hotel. It feels like a slick, chic bar in its own right though, particularly since I entered via Gillingham Street (only five minutes from Victoria station). The glass frontage offers a peek within – luxurious leather seating in hues of caramel and aubergine; high airy ceilings; and twinkling glassware.

We were immediately welcomed by Andrea and Carlos – both suitably Italian for a place that prides itself on providing the best of Venetian-Italian dishes and tipples. Food options are primarily small sharing plates of cicchetti, and the wines are all from Italy too. So how would the cocktail list reflect this? I had to find out.

There is a great selection here – the old favourites are boosted by an extensive and inventive selection of TOZI classics. And the first thing to catch my eye in this proudly Italian establishment? The Sir Negroni, naturally. I watched as a glass was placed under the tap of an oak barrel and the amber liquid trickled over the ice. As I put it to my lips the smell was as impressive as anything – a sandy, woody scent from the oak. But it was the taste that really blew me away – all the herbal punch of a normal negroni, but with a fabulous cinnamon-esque warmth as well. Very impressive.

The next cocktail to arrive got more marks for presentation – a pale lemon yellow drink with the vibrant pop of a red chilli decorating the surface. This was the Vatican Secrets – a zingy and mouth-pukkering combination of Ocho 8 Tequila, Agave nectar, lime juice, chilli and mint. It had all the exotic sunshine of a margarita, but the added heat from the chilli made for a real buzz at the end, which we loved. It’s been some time since a tequila cocktail really blew me away but this managed it.

TOZIThe impressive appearances kept coming as we ordered the Milano Calling. A short drink of Glenfiddich, Campari, Martini Rosso and Barbecue essence, it arrived with a side of crisped bacon shards coated in maple syrup to really accentuate the flavours in the drink. This was another incredible creation – it might just pip the others to the post for favourite cocktail – partly due to the insane smell of delicious Barbecue that wafted into our nostrils every time we brought the glass close to our nose. Combining this with the Scotch was a stroke of genius, making for decadent, sweet-meets-savoury goodness.

Other cocktails of note were the Sage and Pepper – a frothy, silky concoction that included gin, sage leaves , peppercorns and egg white – and the Celery Cure. This last one might not be for everyone, but the fresh, peppery celery mixed with vodka made for a martini drink that was completely cleansing for the palate, and will provide fans with a very more-ish sip. And we really enjoyed the simple delicacy of the Lady Simplicity – Hendricks gin, cucumber, mint and lime.

One thing is for sure – TOZI aren’t twiddling their thumbs and going for the easy options. They have bold creations on their menu, and it pays off. By treading the line wonderfully between age-old favourites and inventive new concoctions it means that palates are both appeased and excited, and this is no mean feat. For those that love a twist on the classic and a little sophisticated pizzazz then visit TOZI – you won’t be disappointed.

@ToziRestaurant

 Rebecca

Written by Rebecca Milford

Posted: June 16, 2015

Rebecca is a cocktail connoisseur & fan of good nosh. A PR whizz with a gold medal in bar hopping, you can follow her on Twitter here.