We were chucked out of one when the candles and cake arrived: belting out "Happy Birthday dear... stranger" ended up being rather a giveaway.
"You're out of line," I remember a man saying. "But not out of tune," my pal replied, giggling. Pavement has never been my favourite flavour.
Years ago, now. It was all very Dalston, so I didn't expect the Venning brothers to bring their E8 thing to W1. And to be fair, they barely have: a once grungy Manette Street is now glossy, and it's also on the wrong side of the Pillars of Hercules. This is Soho-lite; Soho without the E numbers.
The crowd reflects it; they too are glossy, in that Instagram-filter-come-to-life way. You sense they won't end up in Trisha's or that place next to Bar Italia that gives me the jitters.
Denne historien er fra April 03, 2024-utgaven av Evening Standard.
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Denne historien er fra April 03, 2024-utgaven av Evening Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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