Everyone is on the listening bar hype right now, from Jumbi in Peckham to Bambi in London Fields, and now Bethnal Green is getting its shot in the spotlight. Câv, hidden under the railway arches on Paradise Row, is the latest to hop on board. Its name translates to ‘cave’ in Spanish, which alludes to its dome-like interior, as well as the Spanish and Portuguese-influenced menu of bar snacks and small plates, cooked up by Tasca, who are kicking things off with a year-long kitchen residency.
Dark, sultry and understated, this space is pretty big, and there are plans to install a top-quality sound system and large library of vinyl on one wall which guests will be ‘free to peruse and play at their own leisure before things get too rowdy’ – in addition to DJ decks for when the night really kicks into gear. It’s all too easy to imagine tables being pushed to one side to make way for a sizeable dancefloor.
The drinks menu features a slick selection of eight house cocktails, including a lip-smacking plum manhattan, smooth lemongrass highball and a perfectly-executed dill martini. Each was complex in its own right, with a simple, sophisticated playfulness – and all were priced at a fair £12. I happily snacked on a selection of anchovies, prudo ham, and plump green olives between sips.
I have no doubts that the tried-and-tested food plus vinyl plus cool cocktails combo will be a welcome addition to Bethnal Green’s nighttime scene, who have been a little left out from the Hackney gang up the road. Give it a little time, and we think Câv might just be a going-out destination in its own right.