As the newest in the line-up of late-night watering holes to border the ever-popular Park Street strip, Salute seemed an ample choice for a couple of mid-week drinkies to follow the evening's Piri Piri pit-stop at the adjacent branch of Nandos. As a group united in exploring the previously unexplored and quite frankly, too lazy to venture further up nor down the steep expanse, we inadvertently stepped into a venue boasting the best value for money that we'd experienced elsewhere in Bristol for a long time...
Date and Time: Tuesday 14th August 2012, 20:30
Name of Establishment: Salute! Cocktail Lounge Bar*
Location: 50 Park Street, Bristol
Reason for Visit: Curiosity meets passive proximity
From the outside, Salute appears really rather smart; it's contemporary metallics, brightly-lit lettering and swirled 'S' emblem effectively drawing the odd passer-by or two into the dimly-lit and cavernous space within. Here, the large-scale bar is clearly the focal point, its purposeful presence flanked with sparsely-arranged furniture whereby deep-set leather sofas sit in clusters on a floor so sticky that it can even prove difficult to keep one's shoes intact! The central clearing, undoubtedly the makeshift dance floor, is further emphasised with neon lights, an array of revolving glitter-balls and most notably, a range of chart-topping dance tracks - facilitated on the large part by venue's resident DJ – which arguably, resounded at what could perhaps be considered a somewhat unsuitable pitch for a low-key Tuesday evening! That said, given the distinct lack of clientèle (which, we were promised, would pick up considerably after 11pm - something we didn't stay put long enough to find out) it did improve the overall ambiance; saving it from what could have been otherwise written off as downright vapid! For the record, though I'm aware that the preceding paragraph has hinted at the demise of my 'inner party-girl' (seriously, it's not a crime to want to be able to converse with those around you without falling victim of a raw throat the following day) I will duly point out that I had to show ID before being deemed of an appropriate age to enter this establishment, (much to the amusement of my drinking companions)...So there!
You might say that the venue's most notable pull-factor is the price of its drinks which are, on the large part, £2 each. This includes all the usual suspects including a large range of bottled drinks – from Peroni, Corona and Tiger to Magners, Bulmers and Kopparberg. Teeny-bopper alco-pops also make an appearance; the likes of Smirnoff Ice and WKD lurking behind the bar in all their 'kid-of-the 90s' glory! Spirits (complete with a choice of mixer) also come in at £2 each and it’s fair to say that the selection is pretty impressive. That said, I was disappointed that the gin varieties were limited to either Gordons or Bombay (Sapphire) and any chance of executing a Caipirinha was lost on account of the omission of cachaça from the otherwise ample rum/liquor selection. Shooters have also been brandished with the £2 treatment as do the range of soft drink options (bad news for the designated driver of the party I'm afraid). Hence, I'd advise that you bus into town and get involved with a few B52s instead which combine Kahlua, Baileys and Sambuca with delicious, albeit lethally moreish, results! Nevertheless, on this occasion, I opted to tread the cocktail path with a classic 'Black Russian' which at a mere £3, was generously measured (with that familiar mix of vodka, Tia Maria and cola) and even flourished with a pink, curly straw – hello Benidorm! The Dark Mojito also sounded rather alluring; its spicy noted appeal adding a new angle to the tried and tested classic that incidentally, happens to be a personal favourite. You may also be interested to know that a jug of any of the available cocktail concoctions will set you back a rather reasonable £9; for which you might even find yourself the proud owner of a decorative parrot* - here's hoping?!
OK, so contrary to what seems to be the case from its exterior, this is not a posh cocktail lounge, in fact it is almost a little seedy in terms of its disposition. I’m also not convinced by its suitability as a bookable venue for functions, though its arguably passable as the base for an 18 year old's birthday party! Furthermore, it needs to offer some kind of sustenance (or a small selection of salted snacks if you will) for, what is actually alluded to via the ‘Dining Room’ aspect of its namesake, might actually aid the mopping-up process required to counteract the affordability of the alcohol. That said, I have to question whether this unmistakable value for money will still be at large in six months time? I mean, once the Bristol Freshers descend upon the city and get a taste for Salute's current status as *the* place to begin one's night-out, coaxed in from the roadside by the A-framed posters sporting the numerous money-savers on offer within, will the prices inch their way into the remit of what is affectionately referred to (at least by me) as the grand Clifton price tag? We can only wait and see but at least for now, I can certainly recommend Salute for an affordable beverage or two...will it be heaving? Yes probably, will it be tacky, humid, noisy and potentially full of knob-heads? Yes, for sure, but do you know what? You'll bag yourself the cheapest drinks in town and if that isn't worth enduring all of the above for (or escaping these eventualities in favour of an early-evening visit), then I don't know what is!
And now for the second opinion...
The lovely BR gave Salute a rating of 4/10 and in three words, described its overall atmosphere as a 'little bit 90s'!
And now for the second opinion...
The lovely BR gave Salute a rating of 4/10 and in three words, described its overall atmosphere as a 'little bit 90s'!
References:
Salute is open from 18:00 - 04:00 every day
*This is, of course, completely speculative!
No comments:
Post a Comment