From the Gymkhana team comes 42, an all-senses-required take on a cocktail bar
When it hits 2am and the ceramic cheetahs start to look a little restless, it’s rather easy to convince yourself that there is no place quite like this in town
I think we can all agree that Gymkhana is a remarkable restaurant, a hazy, polished Mayfair bubble – all wood this and ceiling fans that – that’s done a decade-long spell of promoting the glories of the Indian kitchen – and, when people talk about the place, it’s likely for the promise of lasooni wild tiger prawns, sizeable lollipops of tandoori masala lamb chops and vindaloos made of pork cheek.
Photography: Mark Scott
When all the last stray bits of walnut chutney and aloo jeera have been cleaned off the plate, you’ll probably want to head upstairs, to Gymkhana’s new offshoot, 42, a cocktail bar that leans heavily into the old-world members’-club vernacular, with its handwoven rugs thick with colour, pattern and silk, and pinned to the walls; its occasional curio; its fleet of chandeliers that would outnumber those in a Yayoi Kusama installation; and its soft beams of light – enough to do a puzzle under, but not enough to see the hard toll of the day on your neighbour’s face. The procession of cocktails, it must also be noted, are things you’ll fall deeply in love with – and they’ll help wind down the night nicely.
If you’re inclined to hover a little around the bar, make a note to ogle the sizeable Indian-peafowl mantle, as well as the rich crimson hues and light pinks that are meant to evoke a sunset at Jaisalmer Fort – and, chances are that you’ll want to ask for the DGC Bitter Lemon, an easy drinker that mixes in a sparkling hit of the citrus fruit with a little slug of gin, cinchona bark, and a soft hit of curry leaf. There’s the Moose Wala, another house libation that extracts influence from India, as it folds Tapatio Blanco tequila with raw coriander seeds and citrus ‘chaat’. And, for the dark of heart, the Mr Ilyas makes use of Macallan with a bit of peanut butter, coconut and some black truffle.
When it hits 2am, it’s time to order the Uber home. And, as you try to punch in your passcode, the third Dark & Monsoon-y is starting to have its woozy effect, the pair of ceramic cheetahs by the fireplace kinda look a little restless, the paintings appear as though they’re about to bounce into life and the call of the work inbox seems like a distant worry for tomorrow, it’s really rather easy to convince yourself that there is no place quite like this in town.
- 42 Albemarle St, London W1S 4JH, 42.london
- Alcoholic cocktails, from £10
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