Bars & Pubs

Potëmkin ('Potyomkin') is a smart and well-stocked Russian bar with more than 50 varieties of vodka in clear, unusual, berry, fruit, citrus and herb 'n' spice categories. Most come in at around £3.50 a 25ml shot, the standouts being Chaika grape, Polmos rowanberry, Cristall blackcurrant and Sputnik horseradish flavours. Beers to chase them include bottled Baltika 3, Zhigulevskoe and Estonian Viru, with Georgian wines (Kindzmarauli £27, Khvanchkara £35) also available. Zakuski to nibble include raznosoly pickled vegetables (£3.75) and pod shuboy herring cake (£6), with sturgeon solyannka soup and rye bread (£6) for stronger appetites. Heartier mains, pelmeni dumplings (£9.50) or marinated shashlik (£13.50) are best taken in the equally neat restaurant down a staircase lined with black-and-white photographs of Russian sailors.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9