Artesian at Langham Hotel

This relatively recent arrival to The Langham hotel has sorted out once & for all the perennial dilemma of finding somewhere civilised to have a drink near Oxford Circus. The high-ceilinged space is done out in alluring shades of grey & lilac, with bookable tables outfitted with linen squares on which to rest your cocktail glass. A back bar is topped by the high-camp Chinoiserie of pagoda turrets. Rum is the house speciality & mixed into such expertly prepared creations as the alarmingly refreshing Quince Sour & the El Presidente, very strong & very good. Classics such as the Mojito & Daiquiri, meanwhile, are treated with the respect they deserve. Breakfast & afternoon tea mean that Artesian isn’t just an evening venue, while bar snacks such as a decent-sized plate of prawn & vegetable tempura would make a nice light lunch, washed down by a glass of Laurent-Perrier or a New World wine.