Reviews Theme Bar & Restaurant Awards 2004 "a comprehensive menu of cocktails that suits the neighbourhood well, and that is always executed to perfection" Finalist: Best Drinks Offering, South Region "With Bar Total taking the training helm, the drinks at Lavish were always going to be something to talk about. The young bar team at the venue have learned greatly from their mentors and the end result is a comprehensive menu of cocktails that suits the neighbourhood well, and that is always executed to perfection" Finalist: Best New Bar, South Region "This bar and restaurant concept successfully brings a city solution to a suburban site. With LAB trained bartenders, a comprehensive food offering and inspired décor, all elements marry together to produce a Lavish local. A well thought out operation with a flair for style." The Guide "cooking which is global and gobsmackingly well executed" The menu offers cooking which is global and gobsmackingly well executed. . . The drinks list is extensive enough, with a highlight being the homespun Lavish Rose (Rose Petal vodka, gin, lychee puree, lemon juice and sugar)" Theme "The quality of cuisine and cocktails, in addition to the premium products stocked behind the bar, is also extremely high, and the staff are constantly working hard to keep it that way" "You have to admire people in the business who admit their limitations. It may seem like a simple notion, but it is surprising just how many will battle through regardless, rather than stop and ask for help. Lavish Lounge boasts LAB trained bartenders, a mouthwatering food offer, and a loyal base of regular customers, who feel truly involved in the evolution of this new concept. First thing on the list was location. The couple discovered that there was huge potential in London's commuter belt. Like themselves, many consumers were loathed to travel to the capital constantly in search of a good night out. They also wanted a true merger of style, a place that served food and drink equally well, with "fine drinking and spirited dining" acting as their philosophy. After extensive analysis - looking at nearby competition, industry trends and demographic data - Lavish put together a powerhouse of key individuals to act as a steering committee. The group was formed of an operations director for a large, well known restaurant group, a marketing manager for the European operation of a large global company, and Bartotal, for their drinks expertise, the panel were used to bounce ideas off, offer guidance and validate the opinions of the owners. Further down the line, consumers, who fell into the target market of Lavish Lounge, were interviewed to ensure that the venue would match up to their expectations. Lavish Lounge, operationally, can be divided into four main sections. Both the drink and food sectors have been carefully considered, with a strong team dedicating themselves to both. The quality of cuisine and cocktails, in addition to the premium products stocked behind the bar, is also extremely high, and the staff are constantly working hard to keep it that way. The third area can be seen in terms of front of house. A great deal of time has been spent creating the right ambience, a factor that sees the combination of good music, design, and most importantly staff. Finally there is financial control, ensuring that the business is running as it should be. Key members of the team have already been identified to head up each area, ensuring that, should the company expand, there is the framework in place to set up and maintain it. Lavish Lounge is set for great things. Every aspect of the business has been carefully considered, leaving nothing to chance. Lavish have already well into their search for a secondary site, keeping within the suburban boundaries they have set themselves, so expect to hear more about them soon." Metrolife "My Cosmopolitan was as good as it gets" "The smart money these days is being spent on quality bar operations in the suburbs. With Soho oh-so over and the traditional party haunts of Notting Hill, Shoreditch and Brixton becoming increasingly mundane, London's urban villages are fast becoming the new breeding grounds of the style-bar circuit. Not that it's strictly fair to refer to Weybridge as an urban village - it recently came third in a survey of the UK's richest towns and boasts Sir Cliff Richard as one of it's residents - but you get my drift. It's like any other sleepy Home Counties town, where one can only muse as to the goings-on behind the twitching net curtains. The Lavish Lounge opens at noon every day for lunch with an adventurous offering of dishes... The service was remarkably friendly and attentive when I visited (though one of the waitresses was an American, so she could have been faking it), and the drinks surprisingly good. Bottled beers include the fabulous Budvar (£3) and they offer a good range of fresh fruit juices and an eclectic range of teas (from £1.50). They've really gone to town on the range of spirits behind the bar, with as impressive a collection of quality brands as you're likely to find almost anywhere. So there's Ketel One vodka, Plymouth gin, Blanton's Special Reserve bourbon, Havana club rum, and a wide selection of speciality liqueurs. Such ingredients should make for terrific cocktails, and indeed they do. A long list of classic and bespoke mixes - fairly priced from £6 - demonstrates both ingenuity and creativity. My Cosmopolitan was as good as it gets, and a Lavish Rose is prepared from a fabulous blend of rose petal vodka, Plymouth gin and lychee puree." Rating: "Very good". Restaurant "Bringing a slice of Soho to Surrey" "The Lavish Lounge targets discerning people who are tired of the homogenized, smoky, noisy atmosphere of the high street chains . . . Tandoori kebabs sit alongside platters of rock oysters as the 'tapas fusion' concept brings together dishes from Asia and the Mediterranean"