It’s a question I’ve often asked my friends and myself: where do we go after Yumla? Once upon a time this meant ‘which club or party are we going to next’ but as the years roll by, and take their toll, it has equally come to mean ‘where do we go when dancing till 5am is no longer the norm’. It’s a question that Dan Findlay, Yumla’s hirsute and uncompromising owner, has no doubt pondered too, and his answer can be found in this new lounge bar.
Perched on the sixth floor of the shiny new 8 building on Lyndhurst Terrace (also home to the excellent JAR, and several other eateries) this upmarket drinking den has an appropriately bird’s eye view of the Wellinghurst junction on one side and Pottinger Street on the other. Whether by accident or design, the terrace also makes a fine crow’s nest from which to spy on the goings on at Yumla.
Even at first glance, it’s clear that The Blck Brd is the end product of much thought and consideration (probably late at night over a dram or two). The interior pulls off the neat feat of being both slick and cosy, mixing industrial minimalism (exposed brickwork, vents and fixtures) with warm and welcoming touches (ornately patterned sections of wallpaper, original art and leather armchairs and couches that wouldn’t look out of place in a London private club). The 500 sq ft outdoor terrace features functional, blocky seats and high benches, and offers the kind of spacious, chilled out al fresco environs that is all too rare in Central. Just try getting a table here come summer.
The drinks list too is well thought out, with a focus on quality rather than quantity. On draught is the unfamiliar trio of Sapporo, Greene King IPA and Old Speckled Hen ($68 each), while there is also a decent range of bottles ($60). But the real draw for many will be the whisky selection, which comprises 11 single malts in three price categories ($98/$108/$138), including a 10-year-old Talisker (Skye, $98), the 12-year-old Cardhu (Speyside, $108), and a 14-year-old Oban ($138). If you’re a whisky rookie, try the 10-year-old Auchentoshan ($108), which is produced in the lowlands, close to Glasgow, and has a sweet, easy-drinking palate.
The other high-end spirits on offer are similarly artisanal, including 10 Cane rum ($128) and Hendrick’s gin ($98), while house pours come in at $72. Wines start at $380/bottle, $72/glass. The prices aren’t particularly cheap, but the brands are good, the measures large and – refreshingly – there is no service charge.
Thanks to the sizeable outdoor terrace, Blck Brd is also able to offer a range of Cuban cigars from their humidor, currently including the Trinidad Reyes ($160), Jose L. Piedra Nacionales Banda ($60) and Punch Petit Coronas ($90).
Throw in genuinely friendly service, clever lighting and a good-natured, unpretentious crowd and you have perhaps the perfect spot for those who have tempered their hedonism with an appreciation of the finer things in life.
Paul Kay
6/F & Roof Garden, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2545 8555; www.theblckbrd.com. Daily 5pm-2am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 5pm-8pm.