Date Spots: October

Here’s some fabulous date spot ideas to help you out this month.

The Nickel Bar

Looking for a date spot like no other? Then head on over to The Nickel Bar situated within The Ned. Whether you’re having drinks at the marble-topped corner bar or opting for relaxed banquette seating with velvet stools, you’re in for a real treat. Not only does this bar ooze elegance and class but it’s the perfect spot for some delightful cocktails that hit the spot. The fantastic bar menu highlights a signature cocktail list which is inspired by the most iconic streets of the World. If you’re a whiskey enthusiast then we highly recommend trying the Trafalgar. The ambience at The Ned is exceptional for date night, with live performances on The Nickel Stage from jazz trios to the blues. This spot is a real winner for date night – picture perfect cocktails, fantastic vibes and slick interiors.

The Ned City of London | The Nickel Bar

Straits Kitchen, Pan Pacific London

This stunning hotel situated moments from Liverpool Street Station is a lovely spot for enjoying some delicious food and drinks on your date. Straits Kitchen, the flagship restaurant at Pan Pacific London have unveiled an exciting new à la carte menu – a superb fusion of Southeast Asia flavours. We’d highly recommend trying the Experience Menu at Straits Kitchen. This fabulous menu includes magnificent dishes that highlight the skills of Executive Chef, Adam Bateman. The menu is divided into Small & Raw; dumplings and skewers, larger Plates and vegetable, rice and noodles.

Standout dishes include the classic dish of North Atlantic cod reimagined with a spicy rich curried Laksa. The Crème Brûlée mango lime compote and mango coriander sorbet is magnificent and the presentation of this dish is also a real winner. If you’re a wine enthusiast, you’ll also love the impressive wine pairing that is associated with this menu. However, if you’re more of a cocktail lover, be sure to check out the creative Asian-inspired cocktail list. If you’re looking for an evening of sophistication, stunning views of the City and an amazing Asian menu that tickles your taste buds then Straits Kitchen is a fantastic option.

Fusion Restaurant London | Pan Pacific Straits Kitchen

Gaucho

Gaucho City of London situated in historic gold vaults of the Old Bank of England, right in the heart of the Square Mile is the perfect spot for steak lovers. This spot really does dazzle with their incredible service, slick interiors and succulent cuts of steaks. For starters the butterfly prawns are a lovely choice. For mains, we opted for the chorizo sirloin, tender yet succulent with a strip of juicy crackling. However, it doesn’t stop there because Gaucho provides some extremely great tasting sides, we’d highly recommending trying the truffle mac and cheese. We absolutely loved checking out Gaucho’s extensive wine selection and undoubtedly you’ll find the perfect glass or two to go with that steak offerings. Gaucho is a true celebration of Argentine grilling and the perfect way to celebrate date night.

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Coya City

Coya City could possibly be one of our new favourite spots in the heart of the Square Mile. This swanky restaurant is the ideal spot for a mid-week date night. Now, if you’re a enthusiast of Peruvian dishes, you’ll be impressed by the offerings at Coya. We highly recommend trying the tasting menu, which is priced at £95.00. Highlights from this menu, include the ceviche de lubina clásico seabass and the tiradito de pez limón yellowtail. For something a little sweet, you need to try the churros de naranja, absolutely delicious. In terms of cocktails at Coya, you really can’t go wrong, inspirations has been drawn from the Pisco Bar and the extensive menu hosts something for everyone. The cocktails are aesthetically pleasing and perfect for those social media shots. Despite Coya being a busy spot in the City, the service here is fantastic, staff are attentive and always on hand with great recommendations. Sounds like a winner to us.

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Shiro Sushi

Everything about Shiro Sushi screams sophistication and elegance, making it an ideal choice for date night. This slick Japanese restaurant from luxury Aqua Group is situated in Broadgate Circle, a very short walk from Liverpool Street station. We began the evening by tucking into the rock shrimp tempura and the prawn & ginger gyoza. The rock shrimp tempura is a fantastic way to start the evening, it’s incredibly moreish and perfect for sharing.

After that, it seemed only natural to try the sushi offerings. We opted for the Omakase deluxe edomae sushi platter, which includes 12 pieces of sushi, priced at £38. The presentation of this platter is fantastic and you can’t help but take a moment or two to take a quick snap for social media. The platter also included the signature Crystal Sushi, invented by Shiro’s chefs, which involves draping sushi rolls in coloured jelly slices with kimchi, ponzu or mint and sake favouring which adds a refreshing flavour to the sushi. If you’re a sushi enthusiast then it’s worth trying this platter.

Dishes that stood out to us from the Robata section of the menu, include the lamb cutlets and the delicious black cod. Cocktails at Shiro Sushi are also exceptional, our favourite is the Gekko, perfect for Vodka lovers. Shiro Sushi is a busy City restaurant, however, the service at this spot deserves full marks.

The team at City Matters are huge fans of Shiro Sushi and it’s with good reason – exceptional sushi, delightful drinks and vibes that are perfect for date night. Full marks from the team at City Matters.

100 Liverpool Street EC2M 2QS
Shiro Sushi | Japanese Cuisine | Liverpool Street, London

OUT OF THE CITY 

Kricket

Are you and your date in the mood for an Indian feast? If so, you need to check out the launch of Kricket’s fourth site in Canary Wharf. This restaurant has a theatre kitchen, counter seating and long sharing tables – the perfect set up for that casual mid-week dinner.

To start the evening, we decided to kick things off with a bit of spice with the tomato rasam pani puri. The bhel puri is another great addition to the starters, comprised off raw mango, coriander chutney and yoghurt. We particularly enjoyed the Keralan fried chicken pickled mooli which is accompanied by a curry leaf mayo. For larger plates, we’d highly recommend trying the mushroom keema pao. Now the real star of the show for the team at City Matters is the exceptional breads that are on offer. The freshly baked breads are a great addition to almost any dish on Kricket’s menu. The masala kulcha and date & pistachio kulcha are exceptional and well worth a try.

The cocktails at Kricket are exceptional – whether you’re opting for the non-alcoholic cocktails or fancy something with a little bit of a kick you’re in for a treat. A great spot to check out this month.

Kricket – Modern Indian Cooking

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