Cool Zero Degrees keeps it simple
I was wrong. I was wrong about Zero Degrees. With a name like that, I was expecting another Ice Bar. Or a bar in the Revolution mould. But Zero Degrees is different.
This sunny Thursday afternoon, straight after work, I went to have a look at this newly opened superbar next to Sahara. And I was impressed.
Zero Degrees, unlike many of the other ‘trendy’ bars in town, is bang up to date. Revolution and Bar 38 are so 1990s. The Londonesque Zero Degrees however includes a microbrewery, offering unique beers such as the plainly-labelled Czech-style Black Lager (£2.60) and Pale Ale. That’s the trick: keep it simple. Bullshit-free quality beers. No logo? You got it.
I was also pleased to see a Special Beer, rotated seasonally. I was expecting some strawberry/raspberry flavoured drink. But no, it was mango beer instead. My eyes widened when told. I didn’t have to say a word: I was offered a sample (something that other trendy bars simply won’t do) and it was stunning. Down it went, in a second and a half. Gorgeous. I was told that it appealed equally well to both sexes. Fruit beer is certainly catching on. I asked the bargirl what the name of the drink was. She told me it had no name but “mango beer”. Wonderful, wonderful stuff.
The interior design was steely and stylish. A few pipes, a few vats here and there. A stack of pizza boxes in the restaurant bit added a bit of warmth to the room.
As for the customers, there was no chav in sight. There were a few business people in suits and the remainder were casual dressers. I’d be interested to see whether the bar operates a silly shoe policy. I’ve be turned away so many times in the past at various places for wearing trainers rather than smart shoes (a stupid and baffling rule that I detested).
So the bar has passed the first test (I still need to try out their food menu). They may call themselves Zero Degrees, but they’re worthy of an Upper Second.