THE enthusiastically named EPIC Cocktail Club picks up on Call Lane where Brooklyn Bar left off, slipping out of its dive bar get-up and into something a little more refined, in keeping with the postcode’s shifting image.
The best time to give EPIC a whirl would be during 2-4-1 cocktails before 8pm daily and all night Monday
A moody, romantically lit room with trendy vintage filament bulbs, it’s an inviting space, while the addition of lightboxes and neon signs (a simple ‘Cocktails’ surely coming soon to an Instagram feed near you) add a little personality to its chic sparsity.
The new menu lists an ambitious 50 cocktails that 'celebrate the already thriving Leeds cocktail culture' and 'showcase the talent they have to offer to the Call Lane nightlife scene'.
We tried four, spanning the holy quadrumvirate of cocktail spirits (vodka, gin, rum and bourbon), the highlight being the 'Slam Daiquiri' - a punchy mix of Koko Kanu rum successfully balancing delicate flavours of lime, ginger, and chilli. The bar staff rightfully checked whether we were fans of Thai food when we placed the order.
Less successful were The Eclipse, aptly named, as the bourbon eclipses any hint of Chambord; the Washington Sour, vodka-heavy apple sourz for adults; and the gin-based Top Division, finished with an exhausted sprig of mint which looked as though it had been fighting a relegation battle.
This lack of attention to detail might be ok elsewhere, but in a self-styled 'Cocktail Club', charging just shy of £8 per drink, this ain't going to cut it.
Service was also a little slow, though the staff were friendly enough for us to give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, they’re probably not used to working a bar as busy as this, if they were, then Brooklyn wouldn’t have needed rebranding.
The press release which landed on our desk speaks of multiple cocktail experiences, including a first-floor lounge area offering a 'bespoke sit down cocktail experience unlike any other cocktail bar in Leeds'. We didn’t get a sniff of this on launch night, but perhaps this is where the bulk of attention is being focussed.
But let us not forget that was was launch night, which means they need some time to bed in. EPIC will take it's place on Call Lane, and, as ever, the drinkers will vote with their feet.
The best time to give EPIC a whirl would be during 2-4-1 cocktails before 8pm daily, and all night Monday.
EPIC Cocktail Club is now open at 50 Call Lane, Leeds LS1 6DT.
