Ruby's (Dalston)

• Ruby's was one of the first places on The List but it was just a little too far North East for my Battersea ways
• You may well miss it if you don't know what you are looking for it
• Booking was pretty unnecessary since we were the first ones in
• Always the best seat of the house
• We started off with Gone with the Bees (Cachaç
• We carried on chatting with the amusing bartenders who were also a joy to watch up close (especially "
• The bartenders were very engaging
• We decided on Ridley Road Market Bar which was mysteriously absent from The List
• The barmen here are probably the friendliest I've met in London
• We started with a Blackberry Mojito rum
• All muddled with fresh blackberries and served in milk bottles
• Now I'm a big mojito fiend and raspberry ones usually get my vote but this one with the tangier fruit completely won me over
• We asked the barmen if they could knock us something up with a little of the Green Fairy for good measure
• We loved it and were conjuring up images of tilting with Toulouse Lautrec and friends in a world inspired by Moulin Rouge
• The fact that the music they play is so on point it hurts (anywhere that plays Prince is a winner in my books) makes Ruby's (Dalston) pretty damn special
• What's even better is that they've just taken over my local The Cat And Mutton on Broadway Market so I'm super excited about a five minute walk to get my freaky fix
• Invariably whoever I'm with tries different ones to me as well so we try a full range
• No process or procedure has been applied to Ruby's to create this look this is just how it is
• I see Ruby's described frequently as East London's best secret and worried that this wasn't so
• 30 on a Thursday night and my fear was that it would be packed (you couldn't make bookings after nine)
• We could hear a little hubbub as we went down the stairs but hallelujah there were plenty of tables free
• It got busier as the night wore on but it was by no means heaving
• Was garnished with a chilli on the side
• One tiny bite from the end was all I could really take
• The apple taste was the main flavour
• As with most juleps it mostly tasted of alcohol with the cherry flavour just lending it enough sweetness to take off the roughness of the bourbon
• The pepper sprinkled on top was a nice touch when you got some of the ice on which it had settled
• This isn't to say this was a bad drink
• The cocktail list is relatively short
• Lounge in Dalston (Stoke Newington Road) is another great East London venue with a variety of cocktails all priced at £
• Is a bit more laid back with a variety of drinks

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