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News
The week in pictures
This week in the world of drinks: we visit Camino, Kings Cross to mark the venue’s fifteenth birthday, The Whisky Exchange launches a secret Islay whisky bar in London, and Bodegas Fabre owners Diane and Hervé Fabre hold a trade dinner at Barrafina.
We visited a packed Camino, Kings Cross to mark the venue’s fifteenth birthday, enjoying paella from executive chef, Nacho del Campo, tunes from a saxophonist, and icy Estrella Damm on tap.
However, it wasn’t always plain sailing here in Varnishers Yard in the rebranded Regent Quarter, according to founder, Richard Bigg.
However, it wasn’t always plain sailing here in Varnishers Yard in the rebranded Regent Quarter, according to founder, Richard Bigg.
“We were told the adjoining offices would be full when we moved in, which was stretching the truth,” he recalls. “Then the critics had plenty of fun with our name. ‘Camino’ means ‘path’ and they kept writing that ‘the path to Camino’ was difficult to find. After the tenth review, the joke wore thin…’ Once described as “the grand druid of hip hangouts”, Bigg founded Shoreditch’s ‘Cantaloupe’ bar in 1995 followed by ‘Cargo’, ‘Market Place’, ‘The Big Chill’ and ‘Camino’ which went on to scoop Observer Food Monthly bar of the year 2008.
Camino Kings Cross today includes an intimate sherry bar, Bar Pepito, with other individually designed outlets in Shoreditch and Monument. However, Bigg, who was also part of the shareholding team which started the Big Chill festival, wasn’t always fascinated by hospitality, Spain, or the idea of combining the two. “After dismal school results, I became an office junior in the city, earning the grand sum of £5,000 a year. I spent this immediately, sinking into debt, paying my way out through bartending at night. In the height of summer, I drove across Spain in a black mini. In less than a fortnight, I had grown addicted to the country…”
For six nights only, The Whisky Exchange is hosting a secret Islay whisky pop-up bar experience in London. Hidden beneath the London Bridge store, the Secret Islay Whisky Bar will offer connoisseurs and enthusiasts the opportunity to choose from more than 100 of Islay’s finest drams.
Earlier this week, Bodegas Fabre owners Diane and Hervé Fabre hold a trade dinner at Barrafina. They presented their premium Vinalba and Phebus wines as well as announcing the launch of their new Alta Yari project, as part of a 5-day visit to the UK.
Fever-Tree is opening its first premium bar and café, located at Edinburgh Airport. The 51-cover venue sits below a tree canopy, providing a relaxing space for travellers. The menu comprises small plates paired with carefully selected spirits to mix with Fever-Tree’s range of products, as well as a selection of beer and wines.
And a ceremony to celebrate the planting of new vines took place at the Langham Wine Estate in Dorset this week. Around 50 sommeliers chefs, hospitality owners and members of the press attended the ceremonial planting, before enjoying a vertical tasting of six vintages of Langham’s Blanc de Blancs hosted by Head Winemaker Tommy Grimshaw.
Have you been out and about this week? Got somewhere we should visit? Let us know!