The Ivy has launched a special Cool Britannia menu featuring an Oasis-inspired cocktail, giving fans a taste of 90s nostalgia ahead of the Gallagher brothers' Live '27 tour next year.
Tickets for the reunion tour sold out within minutes after the feuding pop stars came together for the first time in decades. The band has confirmed no extra gigs will be added to their 42-date roster, leaving many fans unable to see them live unless they pay sky-high resale prices. The Ivy's new menu offers an alternative way to get into the Brit Pop spirit.
Champagne Supernova cocktail leads the menu
The star of the menu is the Champagne Supernova tipple, made with Cointreau, cherry, lemon and champagne, named after the Oasis hit. For those who prefer girl bands, a Spice Girls cocktail is also available, consisting of Cointreau Spicy, The Botanist gin, rhubarb, hot honey and cranberry.
The menu celebrates 30 years since the “creativity and cultural confidence” of 1996 and runs until November 3rd, offering limited edition cocktails and dishes. It is available nationwide, including at The Original Ivy in London's West End, which has been a celeb hotspot for years. Everyone from Ricky Gervais to Benedict Cumberbatch has eaten there, and it has been a regular haunt for David and Victoria Beckham, Angelina Jolie and Kate Moss. Liam Gallagher himself has dined there.
Starters and mains reviewed
Reviewer Jess Phillips sampled the menu, sharing two starters: crispy cod cheek served with tartare sauce, cornichons and baby leaves, and ham hock and parsley terrine with mustard piccalilli, baby leaves and granary toast. The cod cheeks won by a slim margin, enveloped in a light breadcrumb with perfectly white and tasty fish, while the terrine's mustard piccalilli was a must-try. The Ivy serves four pieces of toast with the terrine, which proved perfect for the amount on the plate.
For mains, Phillips chose grilled beef sirloin with garlic butter, onion rings, roasted cherry tomatoes and baby watercress, accompanied by mashed potato and pepper sauce. Her friend opted for pan-fried salmon with salty finger, keta caviar and Champagne fish velouté, also served with mash. The steak was a little too salty, but the mashed potato was creamy and irresistible. The salmon was light and fresh, complemented perfectly by the velouté.
Sticky toffee pudding ends the meal
For dessert, the pair shared sticky toffee pudding served with dates, clotted cream, lemon balm and toffee sauce. Despite planning to have just a bite each, they demolished the dessert between them. The pudding was rich and dense, elevated by the sweetness of the dates.
Cool Britannia is more than 90s Brit-Pop – it's staple British cuisine rolled into one nostalgic menu, and The Ivy West End is the perfect place to enjoy it, with a view of London's longest-running play out the front window.
