Review: Eve Bar, London

Situated underneath his Covent Garden restaurant Frog, Eve Bar by Chef Adam Handling MBE

offers cocktails, champagne and caviar as the foundaton for a next-level bar menu. A sinfully scarlet staircase and neon sign at the entrance set the mood for what is to come.

Whilst the theme is all about indulgence, Eve Bar is actually a crucial part of a very clever sustainability and zero-waste circle designed by Handling, who is passionately commited to the concept. Offcuts from the prime seasonal ingredients used in his Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs are used to make top-quality bites for the bar menu, or turned into infusions, bitters and syrups for cocktails in the onsite lab visible from the bar.

My absolute favourite snack of the evening was this hash brown with crème fraîche and a generous topping of Oscietra caviar from Ahrelia, Handling's own sustainable caviar brand. Fresh and unpasteurised, the caviar is less salty than you might expect, with a rich buttery flavour and slightly softer texture. The briny, creamy notes of caviar are a natural pairing for rich, fatty foods - think fried chicken, or a fried egg - and here, layered up and paired with a glass of champagne, it's pure indulgence.

Continuing with the happy marriage of champagne and deep-fried foods, these punchy one-bite lobster croquettes are made using lobster knuckle with a kimchi emulsion. Luxuriously rich and decadently deep in flavour, these pair perfectly with a classic martini.

'Not an Oyster' is an impressively realistic edible buckwheat oyster shell filled with bluefin tuna tartare and a tangle of fresh herbs, served with a dash of West-End-worthy theatre. This is as close to a Great British Menu canape tasting as I'm likely to get, and an extraordinary bite of food.

This carrot tower is perched on a delicate croustade with curried spices, lime and crispy leeks, the warmth of the spices and citrus kick of lime perfect for resetting your palate before the next sip.

Switching to the cocktail menu, our bartender recommended the martini list; I tried the saketini, described as 'delicate/umami/citrus': Cambridge Distillery Japanese gin, Kay Junmai Daiginjo and Cocchi Americano. Smoother and softer than a standard martini, it had a citrus note with a very slight bitterness, like zest, and a definite umami roundness that paired beautifully with the rest of the bar menu. This was especially true of their OG signature dish, the cheese doughnut.

This has a delicately crisp, bronzed coating which cracked to release an oozy, gooey cheese filling. Fun to eat and delicious with drinks, I can see why it is a fan favourite.

Altogether more elegant but just as moreish, this beef tartare with oyster leaf cream is a perfectly-balanced one bite wonder. This classic mix of beef and oyster seems to be having a renaissance in London at the moment, and I'm totally here for it.

Zero waste is not just a trendy PR term for Handling but a core concept of his business. I applaud him for this, and for the skill involved in ensuring this enhances rather than compromises the quality and flavour of the dishes. An evening here feels like an absolute treat - and we all need to remind ourselves from time to time that we're worth it.

With thanks to CLo Deliciousness for additional photography.

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Deputy Editor, Chatting Food London: Amanda David

Amanda David is a freelance food and drinks writer specialising in London and Thanet’s restaurants, bars and events, and food-focused travel. She is the author of EAT THIS NOW! on Substack, the Events Editor and a contributing writer for London Cheapo, a regular contributor to Palate and Guts Magazine and a Member of the Guild of Food Writers.

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