Radio? Isn’t that a rather unusual name for a bar? Dig a little into the past, though, and you’ll find there’s an equally unusual reason for it. The original 1904 building that stood on this corner of the Strand was built as the Gaiety Restaurant and a hotel but soon had a new incarnation as Marconi House. It thus became a part of early radio history and the BBC’s very first radio broadcasting studio in 1922.
There have been many changes to the site since – and it is a huge space – but it is now back to being a hotel, ME London. And its rooftop bar enjoys some of the best views in the capital. Clearly the jewel in ME London’s crown, it has its own street entrance, concierge and wall of lifts. Once you’re on the tenth floor, you step out into a vast trilateral space with a back-lit onyx cocktail bar at its heart. In fact, it’s so big, it’s split into four zones: the river, the city, Covent Garden and sunset. There’s an interior with high tables, sofas and dining tables and a vast terrace for those views.
The cocktails are renowned, created by Daniel Susko (previously of Annabel’s, SushiSamaba and Soho House) and his team and the accent is definitely Asian – the inspiration is the iconic hotel bars of Singapore and Tokyo. They’re also keen on sous-vide infusion ( literally means “under vacuum”) for increased flavours and there’s a whole section of the drinks menu devoted to Gin Sonics and Highballs – a throwback to a method used by savvy Japanese bartenders to cut tonic with soda and pairing with the best Japanese gins and whiskies.
The drinks menu features, too, an extensive champagne, wine and spirits list as well as sake and shochu. The main cocktail list has some impressive offerings. My Tokyo Rose (Ukiyo Blossom gin, Lanique Spirit of Rose, lychee, raspberry, watermelon and pressed lime) was delicious, served in a tall glass with an over-sized square ice cube while Gem’s Pantheon was a pretty intense Toki Blended whisky, Benedictine, pressed citrus and demerara.
It isn’t all about the drinks, though. Radio has a whole series of food menus to choose from, too. There’s an extensive tasting menu (£105pp), a brunch menu, a pre-theatre menu and sharing platters. So you can enjoy dinner here or sit outside and snack (we chose the latter). Either way, the flavours are again very much on the Asian spectrum from lotuss root crisps to sushi, teriyaki salmon to mochi ice cream.
We feasted on huge tiger prawns tempura with a sweet chilli sauce, delicious chilli squid with shiso and lime and crispy duck harumaki spring rolls. All this was very pleasantly washed down with Radio’s featured Riesling (Cave de Turckheim from Alsace) – and it’s such a pleasure to see this much neglected wine back in fashion.
Radio is open pretty much all day from noon to midnight and on Thursday to Saturday when they have a DJ till 1.30am. There’s a rather wonderful room for private parties and the views are unrivalled from the terrace – perfect for late summer and autumn evenings (blankets are available!)
Radio, ME London, 336-337 Strand, London WC2R 1HA. For more information, including menus, and for reservations, please visit www.radiorooftop.com.
