Kanaloa

18 Lime Office Court
Hill House
Shoe Lane

London EC4A 3BQ

Taking some days off work recently, but staying in London, I decided to check out a few cocktail bars I've been meaning to visit. The first was a tiki bar (think rum, tropical fruit and kitsch wood carvings, right) located slightly incongruously on the edge of the City. Kanaloa, I must insist, offers one of the best happy hour(s) deals I have ever stumbled upon: half price drinks from 4pm to 9pm every week night, taking the average price of a cocktail down to £4 or £5. Accepted, you're not going to find much of a party at half four on a Tuesday evening, but who really cares? The drink's the thing.

Coconut Cannonball (pictured top)
Filled with Ocho Blanco tequila, coconut water, orange bitters, lime & ginger cordial, and Cholula hot sauce (£3.75 in happy hour!), this was cool but hot - one I'll be trying at home, just as soon as I locate a reliable coconut water supplier. And some indoor fireworks.

Zombie and Burning Spear

Luan Lorelei
Bacardi 8, Thai-style mango lassi, pineapple sorbet, honey cream, passionfruit and lime. This one came blended, frozen, like a thick, fruit-packed booze smoothie.

Zombie

Over nine different rums, splash of absinthe, spiced liqueurs, maraschino cherry liqueur, pomegranate, passion and grapefruits. "Two of these and you'll be looking [walking and talking] like the undead", claimed the menu. The waited explained that the ceramic gargoyle contained some 75ml of liquor, in turn explaining the higher price (£13 or £6.50 in happy hour). Tasty, but my world was left unrocked.

Burning Spear

Appleton V/X, pimientos, thyme and scotch bonnet syrup shaken with fresh lime juice and served with a burning spear of thyme. Delicious: hot spice, citrus and golden rum working together wonderfully - with the thyme adding a light herbal smokiness.

Nui Nui-Ni (below left)
Cigar-infused Havana Club, Madagascan vanilla, pimiento and cinnamon rolled with Carpano Anitica Formula. Staying with the smoke theme, this one was served in a tumbler with the biggest ice cube I've ever seen. Only slightly sweet, rich, smoky, sultry: a really good cocktail.

Pina Colada (below right)
Eldorado 3yo rum blended with Goslings Black Seal, Koko Kanu, fresh lime and pineapple. Presented in a hollowed-out fresh pineapple, it was lovely and creamy. This bar is awesome.