Charm yourself silly at Cassia

This review was first published in May 2000

The opening of the Cassia bar, which is really just an addition - but not an afterthought - to the supposedly rather fabulous Cassia Oriental restaurant, is very well timed. With young blades around town spending hard-earned cash on bespoke suits and grooming salons, elegance and exclusivity are the order of the day. And this bar is big on both.

The pound signs in the eyes of the cab driver who took me to Berkeley Square were a fair indication that in this neck of the woods tips normally come in note form rather than coins from the bottom of deep pockets. Wasn't my man's lucky night, I guess.

The entrance is discreet rather than Mayfair flashy - so discreet, in fact, that it is easy to miss. Inside, the theme is understated chic with a Far Eastern feel. A black walnut staircase leads to a sunken lounge area which constitutes the bar. If you descend deep into one of the sofas and gaze upwards, light pendants fill the ceiling, providing a comforting glow.

The bar is separated from the dining-rooms by a curved screen that seems to draw you inevitably towards the long, wooden bar. In an ideal world, about 50 people would fill this space adding to the exclusive feel.

Cocktails, of course, are on offer, but this is very much a champagne (£35 a bottle, £5.80 a glass) sort of place. House wines are a more reasonable £13 a bottle and snacks of Oriental origin are £3.80 a dish.

On the opening night, the place was packed to the rafters and nearly all left happy and with plans to return, which has to be good for a part of town which receives very few carousing types after dark. One can only rejoice if the drinkers who fill Soho can be tempted to tread further afield.

For a modern establishment, the Cassia bar is rather old-fashioned but none the worse for it. In fact, that is its overriding charm.

Cassia Oriental
12 Berkeley Sqaure, W1