BarLifeUK are frightened of shopping centers.
We have an atrocious sense of direction and get lost in them, somehow always ending up in the lingerie department of British Home Stores, drawn there like a moth unto a flame.
And so it was with great relief that we fought our way through throngs of evening shoppers and into the warm, boozy embrace of All Star Lanes’ latest opening within Westfield shopping center for their opening party on September 28th.
Ten pin bowling is obviously one of the great American pastimes, and as such it makes perfect sense that Jack Daniel’s features prominently behind the back bar, along with an impressive collection of other American whiskeys.
Group bar manager, James Wynn-Williams told us: “It was fantastic to team up with Jack Daniels and Bacardi Brown Forman Brands to throw one heck of a party and announce our arrival to Westfield Stratford City, and to showcase the same great food, fantastic cocktails and darn good night out that people know and love All Star Lanes for.”
Sets by The Correspondents (BarLifeUK are clearly getting old because we had never heard of them before) and the venerable Norman Jay kept the youngun’s on their toes, while Blood and Sand and Jack’s Apricot Sours (Jack Daniel’s, apricot brandy, lemon juice, bitters and egg white) spoiled BarLifeUK’s bowling aim.
The venue looks great, and while we don’t really review newly opened bars (we prefer to give them a few weeks to work the kinks out), especially on opening night, the drinks were really well made and the staff were on top form.
As we reluctantly put our ‘street shoes’ back on at the end of the night, BarLifeUK were struck by the strange thought that there might never come another opportunity to wear a pair of bowling shoes that haven’t housed another man’s feet. A sobering thought, and one that had us reaching for another blood and sand…