10th June 2008
Vivat Bacchus wine bar & deli - a new favourite
Vivat Bacchus in Farringdon comprises both a fine dining restaurant downstairs and a wine bar and deli section upstairs, which is where I recently went. It’s co-owned by South Africans Gerrie Knoetze (who owned the well-regarded Browns of Rivonia in Johannesburg) and sommellier Neleen Strauss. The head chef Robert Staegemann is also South African, which explains the presence of things like crorodile spring rolls and biltong on the menu. Given that there are 5 cellars stocked with (largely) South African wines of impecable pedigree on the premises, it’s nice to know the affable and very knowledgeable Gerrie and Neleen are on hand to guide you through them.
There is an excellent selection of wines available by the glass, so the three of us thought we'd take full advantage and try all sorts of things, like Doolhof Cape Boar (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot), Brampton MG (an unusual Mourvedre/Grenache blend), and excellent Bilton Shiraz.
The menu offers both a number of "daily dishes" for between £4 and £11 (as well as a set lunch for £11.95/£14.95 for 2/3 courses), and a selection of deli platters including French, Italian, vegetarian, Spanish, Greek - and South African. Both my companions went for the South African platter which featured droë wors (dried spicy beef and pork sausage), biltong (air-dried beef), ostrich frikadels (meatballs), Simba crisps, dried apricots, sweet peppers and fresh mango. I was particularly impressed with the biltong which was sliced wafer-thin and elicited favourable comparisons with Italian bresaola. I had the French platter, featuring two kinds of saucisson sec (one spicy and chorizo-like), cured ham, celeriac remoulade, Roquefort, Camembert and some French bread. All the platters were attractively served on recycled panels of wooden wine crates and were priced between about £11 and £12.50. I was also pleased to note that on the website today, all the platters have slightly different contents to when we visited, so even if you visit often you won't be bored.
But the best was saved for last - a trip to the cheese room! When you order cheese and biscuits, you are invited to step into the cheese-lover's Aladdin's cave a.k.a. the cheese room where you are talked through the cheeses available, trying a few before you make your selection. If memory serves correctly, we shared a Comte, a Brie (or something very like Brie), a deliciously gooey log of goat’s cheese and a fourth which now escapes me. Dessert wines sampled included the delightful Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest Riesling and the unudual De Trafford Straw Wine.
Best points for me are the knowledgeable sommeliers/owners and the glorious cheese room. If you find yourself at a loose end near Farringdon and feel like something a little different to your usual cookie-cutter wine bar, I can't recommend this place enough. There's also a wine club with weekly tasting events - and, even better, a new branch opening up in London Bridge in the foreseeable future.
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