EVENT – Cocktail Shaking at Fade Street Social*

Cookie FM Rating – 4/5

Last month (September 28) I was invited to an intimate evening of cocktail making, delightful nibbles and flatbread sharing at the very fun Fade Street Social by Dylan McGrath. Located just off George’s Street, I had only visited the restaurant once before with a colleague and I think I’ll always remember those delicious tapas we shared over high quality white wine. This evening however was all about the lighter side of the venue, with its upstairs Cocktail Bar, where we were treated to cocktail making lessons, light nibbles before heading into the Winter Garden for more drinks and flatbreads. Organised by the Irish Blogger Association, this was a fun night in the heart of Dublin City.

Thank God for Prohibition! It turned the bog standard cocktail into something pretty special. Well how else were they going to disguise the taste of all that bootleg whiskey? Legs Diamond, Vannie Higgins, Mad Dog Coll – they were all in on the act. Second generation Irishmen passing off hooch as the sacred uisce beatha. At Fade Street Social, we only serve the real stuff. Shaken, stirred, straight up or over ice – have it your way.

To start we were greeted with Elderfizz, an Elderflower licquer & foam-topped Prosecco, and seated in the luxurious upstairs lounge, where the walls feature the staff dressed up in 1920s fashion to reflect the cocktail menu’s Prohibition theme. Once all attendees had arrived and we’d settled in, Marketing Manager Veronika Kamenicka took us to the bar where she introduced us to our bartender & mixologist Maraue, and the philosophy behind Fade Street Social’s Cocktail Bar and its menu. We were all asked to choose our favourite and during the masterclass we’d make them, and luckily the first cocktail made was the one I’d chosen! Into The West is a tropical style cocktail that contains coconut rum, syrup & fresh shavings, Havana rum, lime and coriander too, served in a tumbler glass. It was very refreshing and far too easy to drink! Dolly Fawcett was a spiced apple drink that contains fresh apple & honey with a combination of Jameson, Triple Sec and Amarett, the last of the alcohols to be one of my personal favourites. This was a delicious drink, topped with apple slices & cinnamon in a martini glass, that rather tasted like Christmas. Black Draft was very interesting, and very strong. Made with the Fade Street Social’s very own Guinness syrup, Black Bush whiskey, créme de cacao and espresso coffee, it was served in a tumbler glass and topped with a creamy and totally drool-worthy Frangelico foam. I’m not a drinker or fan of coffee so this one wasn’t to my personal taste. Mojitos are classic for a cocktail bar, and at this bar they make it that bit better as their Mojito Royale contains the signature rum, mint & lime and is topped with Prosecco. Obviously I was a fan.

When it was my turn to get behind the bar with Maraue, I was making the Cúchulainn’s Breath. This bad boy contains chili infused gin & Aperol, combined with fresh basil, lemon and grapefruit juice. I enjoyed measuring out the ingredients, shaking up the cocktail and pouring it out. There’s something very satisfying about drinking a cocktail you’ve just made. I learned a few tips & drinks from Maraue too, as this was only my second time making up a cocktail in a bar! The drink itself sure has a kick to it, but its combined flavours make for one seriously tasty drink, so much so that I continued to order one for the rest of the evening.

During the cocktail masterclass we were treated to the full selection of nibbles from the Small Bites menu that includes Olives and Crumbs, Duck Samosa, Goats Logs, Mixed Olives, Airbags and Crispy Pork & Squid. Later in the evening when we entered the Winter Garden for more drinks and plenty of great chats, we were also spoiled with choices from the Flatbreads menu, which are a range of woodfired flatbreads topped with European flavours including Lamb, Fennel & Olive and Chorizo, Tomato & Squid. Delicious and definitely a great idea to eat over a couple of drinks with friends, family or colleagues in the evenings. The service at Fade Street Social was brilliant, very friendly and professional and though their prices are a little high, they’re worth every single cent!