Newcomer to the London’s bar scene Viajante 87 aims to serve cutting-edge and groundbreaking cocktails designed by award-winning mixologist Panos Kanatsoulis from The World’s 50 Best Bars. Tokyo meets Tulum at this the experimental cocktail bar located in the heart of Notting Hill. Our guest writer Adrienne Fung tells us more!
The other evening after work, I popped over to visit the new experimental cocktail bar, Viajante 87, in Notting Hill. Viajante 87 comes from the team behind Los Mochis around the corner and is a self-proclaimed “Agaveria meets Izakaya” mixology lab.
With an impressive variety of 100% Agave-based cocktails, there’s no shortage of tequila or mezcal in the space. To accompany their cocktails, Viajante 87 serves pan-Pacific bar snacks including picky nibbles like edamame to more interesting creations such as an array of vegetarian, meat and seafood taco-makis.
Nestled in a basement right off the high street, Viajante 87 is mere metres from the Notting Hill tube station. With a black door, minimal signage and velvet ropes lining the entrance, it has the makings of an exclusive bar for upscale clientele.
Meanwhile, unsuspecting pedestrians walking by can easily miss it altogether. The décor downstairs is sleek and edgy. The low-lit main room is dotted with small side tables fit for groups of 2–5 people. Tucked away behind the staircase is a more private room suitable for a larger group.
The patrons are a mixed bag from wannabe model influencers taking a slew of photoshoots in the corner to a post-work crowd decompressing over a few stiff drinks.
Pico de Gallo and The Traveler’s Martini cocktails
Over the course of the evening, we tried two cocktails each, plus we tried a couple of bar snacks courtesy of the kitchen: guacamole with tortilla chips, truffle guacamole on crispy rice, and the baked crab taco-maki.
Their version of guacamole with tortilla chips was better than most in town. The guacamole tasted authentic and was well seasoned with a nice blend of spice, heat and citrus. More importantly, the chips were served hot and fresh which makes all the difference.
The crispy rice dish was also tasty however just for a bit of variety, it would have been nice to try their version with spicy salmon instead. No one would be upset eating this truffle guacamole crispy rice dish though.
Lastly, the star snack of the evening was the baked crab taco-maki made with soy paper wrapper, crab, avocado, sweet Guajillo soy, Shichimi, sesame and char roe. This reminded me of the type of dish found in trendy Los Angeles restaurants that has yet to make a splash here in London. I’m glad to see Viajante 87 paving the way with some elevated bar food that is different from the other bars in town. The “Tokyo meets Tulum” mantra definitely shines through on the food menu.
For the cocktails, we tried Lana in Tulum (Altos Tequila Plata, strawberries, passionfruit, lemongrass), Peachy Gonzales (Altos Tequila Plata, peach, Mexican tarragon, dill, citrus).
Peachy Gonzales
The Traveler’s Martini (Altos Tequila Reposado, The Lost Explorer Salmiana Mezcal, tropical fruits honey, matcha tea) and Pico de Gallo (Altos Tequila Reposado, lacto fermented tomatoes, coriander, jalapeño).
You can tell the cocktails are Viajante 87’s pride and joy, each one carefully constructed with thoughtful ingredients. The amount of work going in to make the lacto fermented tomato jerky for the Pico de Gallo cocktail is no small feat in itself.
Pico de Gallo
My favourite of the evening was the Lana in Tulum. I’m not usually huge on Tequila based cocktails, but the flavours were delicate and refreshing, making this cocktail one that’s well-rounded and goes down easy.
Lana in Tulum
With a bit more buzz, Viajante 87 has the potential to be a go-to drink destination in town. It’s clear they have put a lot of love and energy towards their signature cocktails. Anyone who appreciates fine tequilas and mezcal would certainly enjoy a visit.
Disclaimer: Adrienne was a guest at Viajante 87. All opinions are her own.
