About
When the lease became available on licensed premises next to his long-running Portobello Road market stall, the owner of Big Red Tent Records decided to mix business with pleasure. The result is an agreeably lo-fi cafe-cum-bar where a broad range of musical genres on hi-fi vinyl (natch) records and CDs orchestrate music buff browsing delight. The current limited range of lagers, cider and wine (from £5 a glass) is set to soon be augmented by locally produced craft beers and spirits – Ladbroke Grove microbrewery Moncada’s ales and Portobello Road No 171 Gin, two screamingly obvious candidates. Cocktails are also anticipated: One Mint Julep (Ray Charles); Tequila Sunrise (The Eagles); Bloody Mary Morning (Willie Nelson); Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix); Manhattan (Ella Fitzgerald); My Sherry Amour (Stevie Wonder) – the possibilities are endless – and a selection of currently fashionable, kitsch so-called ‘disco drinks’ perhaps? All-day brekkie and brunch staples (panini, burgers, tuna Niçoise or chicken salad), and classic pasta dishes (carbonara at £6.95) are also available to Keep The Customer Satisfied (Simon & Garfunkel).