The icy winter months make many of us crave warm, spice-infused drinks and tasty comfort food. We yearn for dining experiences that fill our tummies with hearty dishes and flush our cheeks with warming cocktails. Icelandic folk are experts on wintery fayre, hence why we decided to nip into the Michelin starred, award winning Icelandic restaurant and bar, Texture in Marylebone.
This refined eatery resides in a beautifully restored Georgian townhouse in Portman Square, just a few minutes from Selfridges and London’s bustling Oxford Street. The restaurant is run by Icelandic-born, Michelin-starred chef and restauranteur Agnar Sverrisson. His cuisine skilfully experiments with Icelandic and Scandinavian ingredients, using locally sourced British produce – ideal for devouring unashamedly after busy shopping days trekking along frosty, tourist-strewn streets.
Being partial to a bit of booze and throwing two fingers up to dry January, we decided to visit Texture to sample their winter warmer cocktails at their elegantly designed Champagne Bar.
The light, Nordic-themed interior consisted of high ceilings, chic lighting and cosy leather booths, perfect for unwinding and catching up with old friends or cocktail-loving work colleagues.
Icelandic trees adorned with twinkling hanging crystals, snow filled plant pots and frosted branches graced the windows, effortlessly transforming this luxurious bar into a glamorous winter wonderland. The minimalism of the slick Nordic interior design contrasted boldly with the fiery paintings on the wall depicting angry Icelandic volcanoes. The tableware was refined and tasteful – also available to be purchased from the bar after your meal.
We started off with opulent champagne cocktails, which included the fruity Raspberry Bellini – consisting of amaretto, raspberry nectar and champagne, and the Luxury Mojito, where champagne is used instead of soda water -how very fabulous.
Aperitifs were followed by Texture’s renowned winter cocktails, crafted by head sommelier Cyrielle Mascaro. The very British Apple Orchard Martini – a blend of gin, apple juice, cucumber, elderflower syrup and calvados, tasted fresh and light, almost like a scandalously spiked cucumber juice. Following this joyous concoction came the Spicy Sin – a naughtily named beverage featuring Appleton 12 -Year-Old Extra Rum, Martini Rosso, lime, ginger syrup and ginger ale, which tasted like a stronger, wintery, more Jamaican version of the classic Mojito.
The drinks were accompanied by a heavenly salmon gravlax and a generous cheese board, which we finished off by the aptly named Warm Up – a masculine mix of bourbon, spicy sugar syrup and bitters.
Texture’s relaxing atmosphere, hearty Icelandic fusion food and soul-soothing cocktails made the time fly and conversation flow abundantly, making it a cozy winter haven perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city.
Texture,34 Portman Street, London, W1H 7BY
