Rosylee is well known for serving up some fantastic food and drink – perhaps most notably their afternoon teas. But as they showed off during their launch party last week, Rosylee have a whole lot more to offer. Established in 2013 as a traditional tearoom, Rosylee has developed over the past two years into an incredible restaurant and bar.
I joined the launch party last week to check out the new summer menu, but I didn’t get the chance to try much of the new cocktail list. Designed entirely by Bar Manager Danielle Lewis, I’d heard they made a mean cocktail, so I headed back on Friday evening for the #CocktailClub with 2 for £10 from noon until close.
To be honest, I don’t normally drink cocktails. Too often they’re overpried, over sweetened and just generally OTT. Not the case with Rosylee. We were lucky enough to have ours made by Lewis herself, whose light touch with syrup and understanding of spirits creates refreshing and clean cocktails that are a way beyond any I’ve had in the Northern Quarter recently.
One of the stand out cocktails that we tried was the Perfect Lady. A twist on the classic White Lady, this was made with peach and basil, which paired beautifully. As with many of the cocktails, this was fruity but clean tasting - a great summer sip.
Another of our faves was the Regent's Punch. This boozy cocktail combines Appletons VX, Sagatiba, and Martell with a slog of Green Tea, a teaspoon of Marmalade, topped up with Prosecco.
‘Cocktails are nearly always filled with sugar, and the only sugar that’s in that one comes from the marmalade … You can taste the spirits rather than it being masked by sugar. It’s nice to see the alcohol shine through,' explained Lewis.
Another of our favourites was the Pick me Up - an espresso cocktail from the 'after-dinner delights' menu. This was so delicious it was devoured before any pictures could be taken.
Lewis told us: 'It's quintessential English, and I wanted it to compliment all the food that we’re doing – because all the food is so summery ... We’ve got the Inka grill which is pretty much like a BBQ, just that summer feeling of smokey food with a refreshing cocktails.'
Lewis was also keen to point out her extensive Bloody Mary menu – a new range made with her own recipie of house blend tomato juice which they marinate overnight. They also have a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce – so the veggies don’t have to miss out on the hangover cure.
Perfect with a Sunday roast and a hangover - or so we're told - next time I have a cocktail session at Rosylee, i'll be rounding it off with a Sunday roast and a Bloody Mary to complete the weekend.
