Bank Holiday Bandits ⋆ Amellia Mae

There’s only one thing better then payday and that’s payday and a 3 day weekend!! Mr Amellia Mae and I decided to gather a few waifs and strays together and head to the seaside. The sun was yolky in the late spring sky so we jumped into the car and headed south.

Just 45 minutes later we arrived with the last few minutes of the sun setting at the all new LEVEL8IGHT Sky Bar at the Hilton Hotel. This is a new and rather swanky establishment a top the Hilton Hotel, recently opened in Bournemouth Dorset.The hotel is immaculate but eh bar on the eight floor is the crowning glory. It feels decadent and sexy. A sort of lovechild of an Opium den and Upper East Side apartment. The interior is a mix of dark walls, rich wood and beautiful glass, lights beam gold reflections around the room and bounce of dark lacquered tables.It feels as though you’ve accidentally fallen into the VIP room. The people convened are equally as beautiful as their surroundings, but not in an intimidating sort of way.

There are a mix of booths and tables to suit all group sizes.You are encouraged to book, especially on the weekend but we managed to grab a spot despite not having a reservation. We were a group of 4 so were shown to a table beside the window which had a lovely view of the sunset.

There is a beautiful terrace on both the north and the south side of the bar. The only downside is that they allow smoking on both terraces, despite the initial plan being that there would be only one smoking terrace. A shame for all us non-smokers.

The bar is table service which is a welcome treat for women in Choos everywhere. That does however mean there is a service charge every time you order, which on average was the same price as a cocktail, but I think this is becoming less of an exception these days and certainly didn’t put us off.

We scoured the drinks list which wasn’t extensive but perfectly satisfactory and offered something for everyone, and made our orders. Service was quick and extremely pleasant. Our waitress was helpful and knowledgeable about the cocktails, wine and champagnes on offer.

I chose the bottle aged negroni but was disappointed as this was much too bitter for my pallet. I usually love Gin and am partial to sweet vermouth and so I was quite surprised at the bitterness of this drink.

We had ordered some Tapas to share, Truffled Polenta chips and Crab Tacos with coriander and spring onion. We devoured these like beasts! The chips were delicious, large cut, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The crab was fresh and local and the flavours balanced perfectly. We could have eaten more!

More cocktails were ordered as my cocktail envy surged out of control.

Bournemouth Sour; made of “Conker dry gin, lemon juice, egg white, sugar syrup, Havana club fruity essence, Angostura bitters topped with pinot noir. A locally sourced cocktail with Conker dry gin being made here in an old laundry in Southbourne, Bournemouth, with local botanicals marsh samphire, elderberries and gorse powers”

The Bournemouth Pier Martini. No you’re eyes do not deceive you, that is candy floss, real bonafide candy floss. If I had to guess what heaven tasted like, I think this might just be it! You stir the candy floss into the drink and listen as angel sing! Made with; Belvadere, Aperol, Chase rhubarb liqueur, lemon juice, rhubarb bitters and vanilla syrup served with rhubarb and custard candy floss. All the fun of the fair with this delicious rhubarb and custard martini served with candy floss.

The bar is fantastic, open to non-residents and is never overcrowded. I would highly recommend a visit if you are in town.

We then headed just a short walk across town to a really fun restaurant 7bone Its a burger restaurant with a distinctive interior and cooking style that keeps you coming back for more. The service is quick and the food is cheap but fantastic. We were all rather merry and needing a good feeding to slow the silliness down. However this joint has a great bar and cocktails to boot. We had no hope. And so like all good bank holiday bandits we went with the flow.

We ordered several “French Bone” cocktails which were made of Gin, Honey, Fresh lemon Juice, Strawberry and Champagne. They tasted just as good as they sounded. Our more refined guest sipped Pinot from a cup- she was a little perturbed at first but like a pro she soon go the hang of it.

We got down to the important stuff and ordered our food. we whiled away the time with belly laughter and silliness. The food arrived…I ordered dirty fries and a Ronald’s revenge. I have to own to the fact that I am a total philistine when it comes to beef as I’m not fond of it and therefore have to have it completely murdered. Much to the despair of my company. But I loved it!!! The food is great. You can choose beef burgers, chicken burgers, hotdogs, salads and an array of sides including truffle mac’n’cheese, frickles which are fried pickles (oh.my.goodness!!) and the famous dirty fries. These remind me of the ones at In ‘N’ Out Burger, but I have to say these are better.