Head to Low Fell and among the usual pubs and shops you will find The Bank. A chic cocktail bar and eatery placed in a refurbished bank. (Hence the name I guess.) I've been to the Bank on a couple of occasions when on a boozy night out on the Fell. I've never been during the day when it isn't packed to the rafters with punters though, and although their cocktails are to die for, I had yet to try any of their food.
The decor in The Bank is classic and modern, yet it has a real homely feel to it. It's also a bit gentlemanly and a bit rustic too. There's lots of browns and suede and nice charcoal coloured walls. The amazing ceiling details and the big over hanging lights added something extra.
I was due a big ole catch up with my best pal Nic, and with it being her birthday, I thought I'd treat her to some drinks and grub.
I had a voucher from itison, which is basically like Groupon and Living Social Deals etc. It was for two cocktails and a sharing platter. The only hard part was deciding what to get.
Our server was great and took us to a table straight away. I'm not gonna lie, we were the only ones in there so we pretty much had free reign. It was great having the place to ourselves. It also meant there was no one there to look at me strange when I was taking lots of photos. (You know how it goes)
We went for the vegetarian platter which included:
bocconcini with pesto
olives
stuffed mushrooms
baked goats cheese
artisan bread
tempura asparagus
fries
As for the cocktails we both went for strawberry coolers. The tasted like Solero ice lollies. So refreshing, a little bit tangy and nice and sweet. Definitely a good choice.
I literally don't know where to start with the platter. Every single thing on it was purely beautiful. The tempura asparagus was so tasty, I've never had any kind of battered veg I don't think, and it was so nice. The mixture of the different cheeses with the pesto and the bread was amazing too.
The bowl of olives was jam packed. We both love a good olive or two, and by the end there wasn't a single one left. The fries were nice and crunchy and the mushrooms were crispy and juicy. I could go on and on...
I loved the little wooden serving tray too, like a rustic bit of tree. It made it that bit more special.
Afterwards we got another couple of cocktails. We were getting into the swing of things and having a nice little natter so it seemed rude not to. We got a mojito (which is mine and Nic's favourite drink) and the cocktail of the week which was a chocoberry. It tasted like strawberry milkshake.
It cost me £11 for the voucher. The platter alone comes in at £15 and with the cocktails at £5.95 each I definitely stumbled across a bargain. The food was really great quality, the place itself has such a nice atmosphere and is definitely worth a visit if you've never been before.
The do weekend brunch and even afternoon tea (which I didn't know about)
If you find yourself in the neighbourhood do check it out, I promise it will be worth it. Just try saying no to a cocktail or two...
Have any of you been to The Bank before?
