Dirty Martini is made with pressed olives in a choice of Belvedere Vodka or Bombay Sapphire Gin served chilled with fresh thyme & a few drops of Noilly Prat. Noilly Prat is a herbal Marseillan vermouth.
We got there on a Friday afternoon. It is round the corner from the Belushi’s, facing the old market in Covent Garden. The bouncer at the entrance inspected the bag that I carried straight from the office.
The first surprise was that the bar is in a basement. The second surprise is that it is a single square room and quite small for that sake. Dirty Martini punches above its size and weight. It may be small, but it was was packed.
Other interesting findings: the ratio girls/boys was one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere. The music was a sophisticated and funky Brazilian groove. After some bites at Mixed olives, homous, tzatziki, pitta bread and the Dirty Martini I went for the Margarita Primo (Sauza Hacienda Tequila shaken with Cointreau & fresh lime juice, served frozen or straight up) and it was refreshing and a real treat.