THE COCKTAIL GIRL SWOONS…

Over her latest bar crush

Kwānt 52 Stratton Street, London, W1J 8LN.

@kwantmayfair

I’ve waited two whole years for Erik Lorincz to reopen his bar, Kwānt, and although I was pretty annoyed at the time, it’s definitely been worth the wait. My first hurrah is for the location, or more specifically the new premises. I mean, honestly, I would travel for miles for Mr L’s gracious hospitality but the fact that he’s found a gem of a space in fabulous Mayfair, on street level rather than the difficult to find basement room Kwānt previously occupied, is manna to me. Then to seal the deal, the new building is blessed with majestic dual-aspect windows. All the better for admiring the decor – an intoxicating mash-up of African, Polynesian and Zen-like fabulousness. You know when a building gives you the feels? That’s what I get from Kwānt Mark II.

It’s the sense of space and airiness that does it for me. While most bars have a tendency to make you feel ever so slightly hemmed in, entering this one with its ceiling that seems to soar up for miles, is like slipping out of a pair of too high, too tight shoes and sinking into some buttersoft, calfskin loafers. Loafers, not slippers mind. While there’s no discernible Mayfair dress code, even if you usually veer towards the more casual end of the dressing spectrum, I’d say this place is worthy of trading up to a designer version.

But back to Erik, back doing what he does best: hosting a room, charming guests and making drinks like a boss. God, I’ve missed him. He’s one of those young, old-school bartenders who still prides himself on delivering the ultimate guest experience. It shows up in the way he’s worked with Code Studios to design his dream venue – tropical carpet and bespoke island bar and all – and continues through to the cut of his signature white jacket.

The drinks are every bit as suave and clean-cut as the man himself. So too is the ultra-thin, super-elegant glassware they’re served in. I’m rather partial to the Skin Contact (Ki No Bi Gin, Tío Pepe Fino Sherry, tomato water and liquid shio koji) and the Arandas (Olmeca Altos Tequila, banana, Sauternes and agave), but the Bloody Mary (pictured left) is a revelation – light, fluffy and a masterpiece in my book.

Then just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, there’s the food. Oh my golly gosh! It’s fine dining and then some. Only Erik could lure a talent like Joni Ketonen, formerly of Michelinstarred venues including The Fat Duck, Jason Atherton and St John, to work in a bar. It’s a match made in Mayfair heaven.

Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, Gina Lollobrigida, Kirk Douglas, Grace Kelly… the list of exceptionally glamorous guests who once graced the elegant Igiea Terrazza Bar in Palermo is endless. Imagine, if this bar could talk, what stories might it tell? Well, thanks to the ingenious mind of Salvatore ‘The Maestro’ Calabrese it is telling them. And this cocktail guy was more than ready to pull up a bar stool in the beautiful bar and listen.

The space itself is a work of art. Situated in what were once the vaults of Villa Igiea, its sandstone walls are adorned with 1950s frescoes depicting historic and mythical scenes. Lighting is provided by dramatic wrought-iron chandeliers. As for the bar area itself, it appears to be one long, very impressive creation of marble and wood, divided perfectly in two. However, one section is many decades old, while the other is brand new but cleverly crafted to perfectly mirror the original. The reason? The Maestro was keen to accommodate more guests in the intimate setting, while retaining the original’s sophistication.

Moreover, though, it is the older of the two bars that has seen and heard it all over its many years of service, and apparently it shares these wondrous stories at night with its younger sibling. So says Salvatore, and it is these ‘conversations’ that have been romantically brought to life by him and his team to inspire the new menu, Once Upon a Time.

I started with Kirk 103 (Bulldog Gin and Belvedere Vodka scented with extra-virgin olive oil, and Vermouth del Professore infused with black olives). Now, so this particular story goes, Kirk Douglas lived to be 103 years old, Martini in hand. Whilst I’m not advocating this as a lifestyle diet, this particular Martini, featuring local ingredients such as black olive, oregano and rosemary, and served ‘naked’ (sans dilution, a style pioneered by Salvatore), was bold and beautiful.

My date was drawn by Divina (Cîroc Vodka, basil, kiwi and honey cordial, and Champagne), a lowsugar cocktail created in honour of the healthy lifestyle of another famous guest, operatic icon Maria