Goodman Canary Wharf

Address: 3, South Quay, Discovery Dock East, South Quay, Canary Wharf, London, E14 9RU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)207 531 0300
Website: view Goodman Canary Wharf’s website

Door: Open door/walk-ins
Style: Restaurant bar
Food: Set menu

Goodman's previous two restaurants - in Mayfair and the City - are mostly about wine, boasting the largest American red wine collection in town. For this new Canary Wharf branch, the steak specialist (American, grain-fed USDA Prime rather than home-grown, grass-fed a la Hawksmoor) has appointed Giles Looker and Michael Butt of Soulshakers to come up with a short list of cocktails, which are served at a small bar overlooking the docks at South Quay.

The drinks are not shy about their flavours, and tend to be stronger, shorter old school drinks, served straight up - mostly riffs on classic recipes through the addition of one or two special ingredients. The house Martini, say, is a twist on a Vesper, incorporating a minute quantity of Benedictine and saffron onions, the Ambrosia is a Daiquiri made with maple syrup, while others go further: the house Manhattan complements Pappy Van Winkle 12 with Lillet and two types of bitters.

Our drinks were excellent, though we can't help feeling there was bit of luck there - one of our bartenders confessed to never having made a Martini before, though the other was certainly competent. That the drinks and customer service were good is a credit to Giles and Michael though the presence of a newbie bartender serving drinks that cost up to £10 suggests the guys behind Goodman don't truly appreciate the talents of great bartenders. Let's hope they rectify that.