Great craic had by all at vodka bar's opening party

St Patrick's is a day that is celebrated with great gusto in our house and indeed in the homes of many of our friends - even those with extremely tenuous links to the Emerald Isle! My link is by no means questionable as I have been married to an Irishman for more years than either of us care to remember and our plans for this year's festivities fortuitously coincided with the opening party of Revolution Vodka Bar.

Positioned on the old Pitcher and Piano site at the Hammersmith end of the High Road, Revolution is set to take Chiswick by storm.  The tired interior of its former persona has had a funky, contemporary makeover but has managed to retain a convivial and comfortable ambience.

Crystal chandeliers adorn the L-shaped chrome bar behind which is a display of no less than 56 flavoured vodkas.

A dining area runs along the right hand side of the room and an abundance of high stools, tables and comfortable arm chairs fill the bar area.

Although Revolution had their soft opening, which was met with some very positive reviews, a week ago, the big night party was on Friday 17th March. 

Packed to the rafters (and a lengthy queue outside) I did notice that quite a number of people were smoking but thanks to the evidently effective extraction system, the room wasn't smoky - shame though the the extraction system couldn't remove the acrid smell from my clothes when I got home.

A proficient team of waitresses buzzed around the crowd all evening clearing tables and treating guests to sample vodka shots.  I can personally vouch for the amazing white chocolate and the peach varieties but then reined myself in for what was unavoidably going to be a long night!  I didn't suffer any as the Sauvignon Blanc was as palatable as it was generous in its measure (£2.90 for 125ml and £3.70 for 250ml) and the Guinness perfectly served (high praise indeed from a man who has drunk Guinness in many a tavern.)

Fellow members of my group were rather more adventurous with their exploration of the cocktail menu with the Scarlett Miss Charlotte (a £5.75 combination of Stoli Razberi shaken with raspberries and Teichenne Raspberry, finished with fresh lime and a dash of soda) coming out as the clear winner. 

I asked my merry band what they thought of this latest addition to Chiswick's social scene and received the following comments which, whilst all 100% genuine (because I wrote them down as they were said), I am afraid unattributable with any accuracy due to the fact that Sauvignon Blanc has an amnesic effect on me!   Anyway here goes: "Excellent", "Just what Chiswick needed" "Absolutely loved it, would definitely come back" "Loos are a great improvement, I don't feel like I'm walking into the abyss any more" "Waitress service excellent" and "Brilliant night out - this a great place"  Now whilst I whole hearted accept that I asked for these comments rather late on the evening when my friends could have been described as rather worse for ware, these are nevertheless their honest reactions documented.

Food was understandably not being served during the party but I did manage to commandeer a menu to give an idea of the kind of dishes that are on offer. 

Chiswick's Revolution is a pilot venue for the group with a greater focus on food than the other branches.   With an emphasis on freshness, starters priced from £4.25 include King Scallops, proscuitto, aubergine, mozzarella and basil fritters and hoi sin duck rolls.  House specialties include rotisserie chicken (unique to Revolution Chiswick) and sevruga caviar and Zubrowka vodka served with blinis, gherkins and sour cream (must be pre ordered to avoid disappointment).  Main courses of steak, salmon, salads and spaghetti start from £6.95 and low carb options, sides dishes, sandwiches and desserts are all equally moderately priced.

2006 is 10th anniversary of the opening of the first Revolution Vodka bar and to mark this landmark birthday, Revolution will be holding a Big 10 Party on Thursday 30th March 2006 where drinks will be at 1996 prices, party tunes will fill the air and, if that's not tempting enough, vodka and cocktail sampling will also be on offer - no prizes for guessing where I'll be that night!

Emma Brophy

March 18, 2006