All Bar One

It's hard to tell what is the highlight of All Bar One. On one visit you might think it's the wine, on another the food or the beer selection. Either way this place is ideal for a sophisticated night out.

The Venue
All Bar One is modern without being cold. Tables and chairs are made of wood but not of the polished variety and there is some pleasant roughness around the edges. From the ceiling hangs an old round clock and there are tall benches and tall stools along the walls. The bar is all quite high and you can have a good look at the wines and other drinks on offer. The venue is bright and rather uncomplicated but it looks modern, neat and stylish. Some outdoor seats add space on the pavement for when you want to catch some sun.

The People
Leave the kids at home and have a drink at All Bar One - the adult playground. Most people are in their thirties and there is quite a lot of mingling going on. There is almost no one in their twenties or above forty-five so there are many eyes searching for a potential love interest. When the bar is full the atmosphere is busy and sweaty and at night the lights are dimmed and the food disappears. During the day though this is a very quiet venue where you can enjoy a hearty bite while reading the newspaper.

The Food
All Bar One keeps things simple and it's a success. Their menu is rather straightforward – not one of those page long things you get tired just by looking at – but rich in interesting exotic dishes. You can order salads and grilled skewers (£8.50). There's line caught swordfish, halloumi with red onion and peppper in a pesto dressing, harissa chicken and others and mix them with scrumptious salads like apple and carrot, cannelloni and flageolet beans, oriental noodles, fattoush with crisp pita, couscous with pomegranate seeds and more. Eclectic and truly tasty.

For something more familiar opt for a handmade burger (£7 to £9) made freshly every day. You can choose between chargrilled beef and coriander, chorizo and red pepper burger, organic goat’s cheese and red onion burger and others.

Steaks and grilled fishes are just three but they are served with all the trimmings. They serve Gloucestershire rib eye steak (£13), chargrilled gammon steak (£8) and handmade haddock and salmon fishcakes (£8). For lunch the fresh hot sandwiches (£5 to £6.50) are ideal especially the tasty rump steak ciabata, the tiger prawn with spinach and lime wrap and the pakora, hummus and red onion wrap.

Finally you can pick and mix from a long list of world tapas (£2 to £6.50) with clusters available for £20 and £25). Try the California sushi roll, the box baked coeur de lion cheese, the swordfish and chorizo skewers, the crispy pork goyzas and many others.

The Drink
All Bar One seems to be strong in every department. They stock a long list of beers (£3.30 to £3.80)both on draught and bottled. Some of the highlights are the Portuguese Sagres, Stropramen, Erdinger, Paulaner, Estrella Dam, the French and noble Kasteel Cru, Leffe, Cusquena, Asahi and many others imported from the four corners of the planet. You can also order cider as they stock Aspall classic, Aspall Perronelles Blush and others.

If you are a wine drinker they have more than twenty five bottles available. They serve a dozen whites and as many reds, affordably priced at £12 to £25 or £3.10 to £6.20 for 175ml glass. Both are divided into classic, bold and distinctive. In the whites the Binho Verde from Portugal and the Riesling from Austria are new and unexpected while for an usual red you should try the South African Pinotage, Carigan, Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Planeta mixing Nero D’Avola and Frappato.

A good Champagne selection is also available at £30 to £100. A few cocktails complete the list. Try the Sangria Tinto or Rosada (£13 for a pitcher) for something very summery to share or opt for a Martini or Pimm’s.

The Last Word
All Bar One is a bar that's great for all your needs. The food is eclectic and tasty the beers interesting and the drinks satisfying. You have no reason not to pay a visit.

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