The Cool Cat
Reinventing itself to serve pimped-up versions of ‘Korean with a twist’, this fun spot has come on in leaps and bounds since opening two years back.

Highlights: K-fries (kimchi, bulgogi beef, chips – messy, delicious), a dessert that saw a heap of matcha tea ice cream stuffed inside a donut (no words for how clever that is), and a Kimchi Mary cocktail that’s outrageously fantastic (and all the more so for being topped with strips of crunchy bacon).

No surprise then to find The Cool Cat buzzing with a young tattooed crowd updating their Instagram food porn albums.

Regina Bar
Brought to you by the makers of MOD, it’s therefore natural that the original style extends to kooky interiors tinged with a trace of retro: a tall mirrored wall, disco tunes and the kind of sparkling chandelier last seen in Boogie Nights.

On the menu: a comforting portion of General Tso Chicken, and a couple of cocktails – pictured, that’s some weird kiwi potion that got sunk in a gulp.

Talerzyki
Owned by Bazar Kocha next door, this new venture looks to pre-war times to revive classic, old school cocktails served by smooth-talking gents in crisp shirts and braces.

Atmospheric, chilled and highly recommended.

Koko & Roy
How’s this for a makeover – what was formerly Bacio, a grotto-style den festooned with fairground trinkets, has re-emerged as a smart eatery with a warm, pared-down design that’s ripe for modern times: glimmery Sputnik lights, mustard and wood finishes, and eclectic artwork produced by the owner.

Beyond the surface details are an array of cocktails made to New York specifications – we had meant to continue this bar crawl, but found ourselves trapped in this brilliant American-owned find.