'I visited an immersive cocktail bar and was blown away by one thing'
by Nicola Roy, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/nicola-roy/ · Daily RecordGet the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp
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There's truly nothing better than unwinding at the end of the week and indulging in a couple of cocktails. But if you're tired of always going to the same places, and you're in need of some escapism, then one Glasgow establishment is perfect.
Somewhere By Nico on Byres Road opened its doors earlier this year, and is part of the famous Six by Nico family - known for its decadent and ever-changing tasting menus with locations all over the UK.
The conceptual cocktail bar, which also has a location in Edinburgh, is said to create a 'portal to the extraordinary' by inviting guests to indulge in a specially designed menu that takes on a different theme every six weeks.
But it's so much more than just drinks. After visiting earlier this month, I was truly blown away by the sheer attention to detail that went into the experience, and more importantly, the value for money.
As soon as you walk into the cosy pink decor of the plush cocktail bar, you instantly feel relaxed, before being shown to your table by one of the friendly staff members who explains the current theme and what you'll need to do.
When I went, the theme was 'Murder on the Midnight Express' - an enthralling mystery set in the 1930's surrounding the death of somebody on board. We were then presented with four character profiles of all the different suspects, each with their own interesting and unique backstory.
A newspaper front page was also handed out to us, telling the story of the murder, as well as a magnifying glass and a torch - although it would soon become clear why we needed this.
During this experience, there are five different cocktails, each one revealing a different clue about the murder and who might be responsible. Your job? To guess the culprit before your slot is up.
Firstly, the cocktails themselves were absolutely delicious and so varied, so you never got two that were too similar. I'm an espresso martini girl through and through so this was the highlight for me, but there was also a stunning prosecco and cherry liqueur number and a refreshing lemon and Midori concoction that were amazing too.
We were served five drinks in total, but there was the option to add a sixth - and therefore an extra clue - for £10, which we decided not to do but it's good that you have the option.
With certain drinks you also got a little snack, such as chocolate truffles or buttons, but the highlight for me was a savoury cannoli stuffed with truffled cheese that was designed to look like a cigar in an ashtray - complete with ash surrounding it.
Throughout your time here, you're led through this mystery and get to know everybody who might be involved in the murder as the story unfolds. The clues really kept throwing curveballs, and I must have changed my mind about who was the killer after each one.
We soon learnt (spoiler alert) that the torch we were given at the start could be used to uncover a secret message, and all of these fun little details just made the experience so enjoyable.
Finally, after the last clue and the last drink - which was a delicious White Russian-style drink served in a coffee cup - it was time to read the confessions from all four suspects and find out if we had guessed right. This was potentially the alcohol taking effect, but we had not, yet still thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Per person, a visit to Somewhere By Nico costs £45. And for the five drinks, nibbles and overall joy of the experience, I think this is well worth it. There's also a non-alcoholic cocktail option for anybody who doesn't drink.
Until a few months ago, this bar offered food with each drink which I think would have made this even better, but having the focus on the cocktails also works just fine.
The next theme which arrives at the end of November is called Down the Rabbit Hole, which will tell the story of Alice in Wonderland through the talented mixologists. I'm definitely keen to return, and would encourage others to do the same. You can book your visit on the website here.
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