Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Icecreamists - Covent Garden

With much hype and press around The Icreamists a.k.a the agents of cool with a license to chill, I was a little bit confused as to what it was. Was it an ice cream parlour? Was it a club/bar? To answer these questions, the Icecreamists were generous enough to invite me to a preview night before the official launch to sample the goods and to share with you (slightly late - sorry) my experience as what I can only describe and as 'an experience'! In all fairness, this was a preview night and I am too poor and tired to see it in all it's glory (the half-naked nurse) so I will be as fair as possible.

Be warned, the following images and descriptions may not suit the eyes of a younger audience, however I will do my best to keep it in good taste.





From what you can see, The Icecreamists is very much like a stylish and modern but camp cocktail bar with elements of vice. Not forgetting their campaign to get you to 'lick your addiction' whilst a suggestive tongue licking shadow attempts to invite such encouragement, almost suggesting a seedy underworld for ice cream. The decor is predominantly black with touches of hot pink, the staff are dressed smartly with hot pink ties and a pvc policeman's hat that you would find most men wearing in George Michael's favourite Soho clubs.

The logo hints at a deathly force behind it's ice creams (Absinthe - wohoooo) whilst the names of the ice creams and cocktails add a bit of humour to enhance the entertainment.


The place itself is quite small, there is very limited seating, about three tables with red leather style cushioned seats and a small bar area with barstools. As of yet no reservations are being taken, it polices a first come first serve basis. You wouldn't find anyone wanting to rush themselves out so a long wait may need to be endured. Worth it? We will find out a little later. I was placed on the bar stools with a silhouette poster of the infamous Miss Whiplash.


Behold the cocktail menu with tongue and cheek names and prices which are more cheek! The cocktails are quite expensive at the £15.00 mark (was free for me) but with enough kick to make you tipsy, who's going to notice?



This is the taster menu for the preview night, there is a much larger menu which offers full descriptions of each cocktail and ice cream flavour. I also got a badge, very cool! In fact I am extremely pleased with the badge.

The ice cream collection 'WikiLicks' contained 'The Vanilla Monologues' (it continues this way), 'Choc and Awe', 'Glastonbury' and 'Cold Sweat'. Other varieties including 'Baby GaGa', the breast milk ice cream that has graced our morning papers for weeks now are also available on the full menu. We will revisit this in a little while.

Cocktails on offer were the 'Toast Mortem', 'Sex Bomb', 'Miss Whiplash' and the 'Molotoffee Cocktail'.






First up was the 'Glastonbury' (roughly £4-£5), a seasonal berry sorbetto with a 'naughty' splash of berry liqueur. The ice cream itself was less gratifying it looked although it was very fruity. The liqueur failed to make a grand entrance unlike it's makers, this is the part where unfortunately I have to say even for ice cream specialists, perhaps more attention is given to style and atmosphere than the ice cream itself. Considering this is a 'premium' ice cream without much of an alcoholic kick, is this really something I couldn't get at another ice cream specialists such as Gelateria Danieli for a third of the price? Even more so when Danieli's rum and raisin has an almighty rum kick to it.



But that kick certainly did make it's presence known in 'The Sex Bomb' (£14.95). It boasts a thick and creamy fior de latte ice cream, a shot of La Fee Absinthe served through an IV drip by a busty blonde in a nurses outfit, and it's blowtorched before being poured over the ice cream. With it are ingredients such as Guarana, Ginko Bilabo and Arginine to create 'a natural viagra'. Banned spirits, viagra, nurses, I could be in heaven! Limited to one per customer so perhaps limbo on this one!


Now for those of you who are unaware of the nature of Absinthe, it originated from a herb plant (which is why its so green) and it is a highly hallusanegenic and alcoholic drink with an anise flavour. I believe this was 40% but 70%+ is most probably illegally available, but try Amsterdam. It is traditionally served in a demonic looking chalice with cold water as a diluting agent and salt.



I was expecting hallucinations and certain notification that this natural viagra mix worked. However neither of the two came to life so to speak, most likely because the busty blonde nurse was absent and the Absinthe was so controlled it was just a strong spirit. Again, this issue of being gimmicky comes to mind. It paints the picture of taboo, risk and contraband but in the end, it does slightly disappoint. I guess on a proper night there would be more of a show to be entertained by.


Here is the 'Molotoffee Cocktail' which the nice lady let me photograph for your enjoyment. Unfortunately she didn't let me try it so I can only explain that it is Creme De Banane liqueur mixed with Dulche De Leche ice cream and served with toffee and a meringue. Once more it is blowtorched (the novelty is slowly wearing thin). Here is also what the main ice cream counter looks like. As you can see the ice creams have fantastic names, 'Taking the Pistachio' is my favourite name, and they all look great and thick too.

See below for some close ups!



a couple more....


And lastly....



You may look at the 'Baby GaGa' and think where do I know that name from? It's not Lady GaGa, it is in fact the breast milk ice cream that has been all the rage in the papers recently. Gladly I did not try it, not sure I really want to either but if you are a little more adventurous than me, I hear it's good stuff. Previously sold out (questionable), I have been informed it's now back on sale.

As part of the invite, I am on a list for upcoming press releases and amusingly the breast milk concept is no longer under scrutiny, now it's the name. It appears that certain lawyers believe that it is too similar to Lady GaGa and after spending all their wages on luxurious waste, they need a pay rise! The PR buzz is impeccable, but once more, when the novelty dies down, what can The Icecreamists really do to keep it going?

THE VERDICT:

Being a preview and tasting night without the full blown theatrics of liquid nitrogen and models tarting up the cocktails, it was quite difficult to judge where The Icecreamists fit into my happy thoughts.

To go once is definitly worth it, it is different and it certainly is entertaining. I probably would not consider going again on my own money. The ice cream was nice but not brilliant and the hype of breast milk ice cream and absinthe is probably enough to overlook this point.

It was quite difficult to relax whilst being cramped in to a small space and having people constantly shuffling past.
For a sit down place, the music was too loud to interact with anyone, it's not a club environment where constant drinks and pulling a funny face is enough to seem socially engaging.

I still had a good time and glad to have checked absinthe off my list of things to do before I die.

4/10.



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