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Food

Taking Orders: Nine Lives

by Abigail Spooner
Taking Orders: Nine Lives
Nine Lives double cooked pork belly with salsa verde cruda

This hidden gem of a basement cocktail bar now boasts an authentic Mexican menu, so you can enjoy both tacos and tipples. Senior Food Producer Abigail Spooner heads to Bermondsey to check it out.

Where is it?

A stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of London Bridge but tucked down an unassuming cobbled street, lined with railway arches and under the towering shadows of The Shard.

What’s all the fuss about?

From taco truck to permanent kitchen, head chef Ramon Ramos has launched a new Mexican menu of enticing bar snacks and tacos to rival the rest of London. Meanwhile, award-winning bartender William Campbell-Rowntree takes the lead on quality cocktails with a focus on sustainability.

Beef barbacoa tacos
Beef barbacoa tacos

What’s the place like?

Dimly lit, with intimate seating areas and corner banquettes, tropical foliage, tiki-style furnishings and a fun, relaxed atmosphere. A bustling crowd surrounds the bar itself where bartending maestros swiftly shake up delicious concoctions with a smile.

What did we eat and drink?

From the tempting cocktail menu, we choose ‘Betty’s Manhattan’, an elegant rosé and raspberry twist on the classic and ‘Oh… Stunning’, featuring gin, bitter Campari and mango vodka. Alongside, we eagerly dunk homemade totopos (similar to tortilla chips) into a chunky guacamole. Bite-sized chunks of salt-crusted pork belly, cut through with a punchy salsa verde, are equally moreish - and twice-cooked for that all-important crunch. The sour citrus flavours of a paloma cocktail complement sea bream ceviche, while the tacos are mouthwateringly good. Our favourite is the beef barbacoa with tender, slow-cooked brisket. It’s satisfyingly stuffed, spice-laden and packed with Mexican flavour.

Sea bream ceviche
Sea bream ceviche

Your verdict?

The best of both worlds. A great date night spot for sipping on elegant cocktails and tucking into scrumptious sharing plates.

Lasting memory?

I’d go back for the beef barbacoa tacos in a heartbeat.

How to book

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