Henrietta Hotel presents Experimental Negroni Club, Covent Garden

About last night…

There’s only one place that could take me from London to Mexico, with a stop-over sip of Paris and Tokyo – without actually getting a flight. Last night I was at the launch of Experimental Negroni Club installation at Henrietta Hotel, in partnership with CAMPARI… A celebration honouring 100 years of the Negroni cocktail.

My invite, courtesy of Bacchus PR, transported me to the unique world of the Negroni with a specially designed bespoke menu of cocktails which pays homage to, what is considered by many as, the world’s most classic cocktail.

Where the story begins…

The story of the Negroni dates back to 1919 when Count Camilio Negroni entered a bar in Florence and asked for an Americano with gin instead of soda water, inspired by a recent trip to Britain (love this connection!) The Count was famously adventurous, with his travels taking him across America and Europe. The rest you could say, is history!

An avid traveller myself, the idea of country hopping via a range of vintage cocktails seemed an ingenious idea. The celebratory gathering was centred around an over-hanging light installation, by artist Frankie Boyle, suspended below the stunning mezzanine bar’s glass ceiling creating a multi-sensory experience.

Amazing night…

It’s perhaps only fair that I credit the Campari in my cocktail for the Dutch courage to network and speak to guests such as Xavier Padovani of Experimental Group and an Associated Press journalist, about the upcoming My Soho Times magazine…

And what’s networking without a wing-person? Mine came in the form of my cousin Freda, a doctor (a social weekday drink clearly doesn’t keep the doctor away!) as my ‘+ 1’ (which ended up being more of a ‘+ 3’ posse when my photographer friend Samuel Sasiharan and his +1 Chauntelle Lewis, joined us at the table of the Observatory team).

Reasons to love London!

London is sweet, however next time I’ll indulge in a full experience of Tokyo… Or maybe go back to Mexico with it’s lingering hint of smokiness… Or just leave it to the talented mixologists behind the bar to recommend something special… Choices, choices, choices!

The Experimental Group was founded in France 2007 by childhood friends Romée de Goriainoff, Pierre-Charles Cros and Olivier Bon, with the launch of Experimental Club Paris. Xavier Padovani joined the group in 2010 with the opening of Experimental Cocktail Club in London’s Chinatown.

The Group has since expanded to include beach clubs, restaurants, wine bars and hotels spanning the UK, USA and Europe.

Henrietta Hotel and CAMPARI invite travellers and Londoners alike to raise a glass to the centenary of the iconic Negroni cocktail with this temporary bar-come-installation in the heart of Covent Garden.

Experimental Negroni Club runs from  21st September until 21st October. To book a table visit www.henriettahotel.com/experimental-negroni-club
📍Henrietta Hotel 14–15 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8QH

Oh, my night didn’t end there!

Look out for my next post sharing the end to an eventful night in the basement of Hotel Chocolat for a secret gig hosted by our friends at Talentbanq.

Have you checked out our pilot issue of My Soho Times online? CLICK HERE! Follow My Soho Times across our social media platforms @mysohotimes

That’s it for now! Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.