As hotel groups go, the W has a distinct feel. Chic, quirky and protagonists of nightlife, their lobbies can be expected to morph into clubs at sunset. Perception is their bar and lounge on the first floor lording over Leicester Square in a cavernous space divided into distinct areas of high and low seating by screens of ornaments. There is a DJ mixing house and chill music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, which no doubt hots up as the evening progresses. The décor, food and drinks all make occasional and respectful nods to their immediate neighbours in Chinatown, which can be seen bustling below.
Essentially a cocktail bar, the cocktails themselves are arranged into four elemental groups – earth, water, air and fire. Priced around £18, they are very elegantly presented and pretty punchy. From the Earth selection I opted for ‘Gaia’s Nectar’ – a mescal-based and negroni-esque concoction, featuring Azeline Vermouth, Campari and Scarborough bitters, garnished with a slice of pink grapefruit. My guest chose ‘Namor’s Potion’ make with strawberry-infused Campari, crème de cacao blanc, Fernet Branca, Xocolatl Mole Bitters, vanilla and prosecco, served in a cute ceramic cat-mug. Both were very good indeed but one cocktail enough for us so we ordered a selection of their sharing plates to our waitress’s recommendation. Their head chef, Rohan Almeida, has curated an intriguing and delicious selection with something for everyone. And the handy thing is you can order food right up till 11pm, so it is an ideal place to relocate to if out for drinks in the West End and in need of sustenance.
Apparently, their bao buns with pulled chicken and sriracha mayo are big sellers and now we know why; they are full of lovely crispy chicken in a delicious warm mayonnaise. Salt and pepper squid consists of plump battered chunks though beware; they are served with barbeque dipping sauce. Stick with a squeeze of lemon. One particularly elegant and intriguing dish is the charcoal burger. Served in a black sesame bun, it was more cooked than I would like but very good nonetheless, and is served with sweet potato fries. In the interests of health (too little too late) we also had a poke bowl and opted to add seared tuna. It comprised a myriad of components, each prepared perfectly.
Our chosen lubricant for the meal was a 2022 Pèppoli Chianti Classico, slightly oaky with red fruits, and a great companion to our food, not unfairly priced at £52.
As you may gather, by this point we had pretty much run out of room, but our arms were twisted to try a couple of desserts. These were cheesecake with mango and passion fruit (made with more gelatine than I would prefer) and sticky toffee pudding with coconut ice cream (fab ice cream). Both were worth having and we were delighted that they weren’t over-sweet.
There’s very much a sense of occasion to the Perception bar with its cathedral-height ceilings and views over the West End. It’s a slickly presented venue and the staff could not have been more helpful or charming. It would work well for an after-work get together or equally as part of a date night. We will no doubt return to tick off a couple more of their unique cocktails soon.
The Perception bar is located on the first floor of the W Hotel, 10 Wardour Street, W1D 6QF, is open all day and has a late license till 1am from Sunday to Thursday and 2am from Friday to Saturday
Related: First ever gin and tonic pizza to go on sale in London
