When the Coal Vaults shut its doors a few years ago now, it promised to return, and I was such a fan I kept my eager eyes peeled. Return it did, with a slightly altered moniker – now The Vault, hiding beneath the Soho stalwart Milroy’s. Unless you know you might not know it is there – they hardly advertise it from outside and its entrance is cleverly concealed within. Having said that, plenty of people must know as on a sunny spring Tuesday when you would think people would be more concerned with clogging up pavements outside pubs, this little basement den was quite lively with people.
Sadly, the food that I liked at the Coal Vaults has gone, but the excellent drinks remain. And, befitting somewhere associated with Milroy’s the whiskey emporium, whiskey is all over the menu (yay).
The three of us got different cocktails – mine a Handsome Jack, the others a Sherry three ways and a Kitbeach (can't quite remember the name??). When we had a second round I had liked the Sherry x 3 so much I ordered that and the Kitbeach got a second showing as well.
My handsome jack was good but there was something about the depth of flavour in the Sherry one that I had to savour for myself. And the Kit had a pleasant almost burnt orange fragrancy to it that took away the sweetness I associate with fruity cocktails.
So if you're ever in Soho, slip inside for something a little special.
