A tale of two nights - having fun at NoMad Hotel's Side Hustle

Words and photos by Susie Sandford Smith

Setting the scene

It's almost as if the NoMad Hotel team, particularly with “Side Hustle,” their take on a classic British pub, got inside my head and picked out all the things that I love most, creating a “Susie’s idea of perfection 101” – a sensory dream of a place. It’s got low lighting, lots of dark wood, booth seating with banquets galore, dark green jewel toned walls and bottle-green upholstery, loads of texture – leather, marble, textured wallpaper, wood, understated sparkle with lots of gold metal work and a GORGEOUS mirrored and back-lit bar running the length of room. The hotel, housed in the former Bow Street Magistrate’s Court, is steeped in history (it even has a Police Museum – part of the conditions of converting this Grade II-listed building) and has been so beautifully restored. Whilst I’d absolutely suggest a peek in the hotel itself, these tales are about Side Hustle, which is set in the former police station and has its own entrance on Bow Street, across the road from the Royal Opera House.

Night One and a feast in every sense

I’d been wanting to eat at the hotel since before it opened, with images of its NoMad Restaurant in the stunning atrium flying round Instagram, I was hooked. I managed to make a booking for a few weeks after the restaurant opened but then had to cancel. And when a few weeks later my daughter suggested going somewhere for a night out I wanted to keep the original restaurant outing for my original date (though… we ended up brunching in Walthamstow in the end) and so booked a table at Side Hustle instead. And I’m SERIOUSLY glad that I did.

Eating out with an allergy

I thought it would be difficult to accommodate my particular allium allergy (no garlic, no spring onions, no raw onions – including pickles) in a Mexican influenced restaurant but I needn’t have worried as there was plenty of choice and I was supremely well looked after. Sometimes when I eat out (and I must say, when I plan to eat out I always contact the restaurant ahead of time to check they can accommodate me) it feels as though I’m a huge burden. As a cook I totally get this but, as a diner, I’d rather the restaurant just say “no, I’m sorry, we can’t accommodate you.” No such worries with Side Hustle, the manager came and spoke with me and then whisked off to consult with the kitchen and came back with a list of alterations that could be made that meant that almost all the menu was available to me. We feasted on guacamole with avocado and English peas and warm tortilla chips, Chicharrones, tostadas and tacos (though I was jealous of Alex as she tucked into a Beef Short Rib tostada which I wasn’t able to have – the Tuna Crudo was superb though and managed to appease me), and the highlight for me (surprising as I am not a fan of truffles at all), was Black Truffle Tlayuda – corn, parmesan, epazote and lashings of shaved black truffle. I mean, seriously. The tlayuda was so good that I found myself, a couple of weeks later when unexpectedly stopping by for a negroni (more of that later) unable to resist ordering another. It’s one of the stand-out things I’ve eaten in an age.

We ordered the churros for pudding, beautiful, surprisingly delicate and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, fried dough served with dark chocolate and a deep red fruit sauce. We were pretty stuffed so hadn’t planned on ordering the other option, but our server said we had to try it and brought us one, on the house, and boy oh boy was he right. The Horchata ice cream sandwich is fantastic, if you go, don’t miss out on this. The drinks list is agave heavy with several classics alongside some more experimental mixes. What really impressed me, though I confess, I didn’t actually try any, was the list of non-alcoholic drinks which all sounded incredible and as covetable as any one of the alcoholic offerings.

Alex and I had such a good evening, the environment, the food and drink, the service were all exceptional – even though we were out, we felt completely comfortable and relaxed. We were blown away by the service, it wasn’t ‘lip service’ friendly, but was genuinely warm and friendly – I felt as though I’d made a connection with everyone which is really quite a skill. Just to be clear though, they weren’t intrusive at all, nothing felt forced just, dare I say it... perfect!

Which brings me to Night Two…

Night Two and an Italian takeover

I’d seen that Side Hustle would be hosting an event to close out Negroni Week with a takeover by Tommaso Cecca, the Store Manager and Head Bartender at the legendary Milan bar “Camparino.” Me being me, I really REALLY wanted to go – Campari is a favourite of mine, negroni is my go-to drink when I’m out and about (also to be enjoyed at home, actually), I’m absolutely in love with all things, and people, Italian, and… it was at Side Hustle for goodness sake. But, I was already doing something that day and I wasn’t sure what time I’d finish so, I didn’t book a ticket.

Ceci n’est pas une tranche d’orange - a picture of a cocktail with a slice of orange jelly in the shape of a slice of orange.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I’m on my way home from my event, narrowly missing my bus outside Charing Cross Station I decide that if I make a mad dash and cut across Covent Garden, I’ll be able to intercept the bus by Holborn tube station. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. My son is always saying he can’t quite believe just how optimistic I am. Anyway, suffice to say, it very quickly became clear that the bus would be long gone by the time I got to Holborn and suddenly I remembered…”aha, but hang on a minute, perhaps I should just saunter past The NoMad, take a peek into Side Hustle, maybe see if they can fit me in, it won’t hurt to ask…” (can’t help thinking this was my dastardly plan all along).

I’ll just have one drink…

Anyway, they squeezed me in on a stool in the middle of the room in a section that divides the bar and the restaurant areas. I made myself comfortable, put my phone away (for the most part) and ordered a Compadre – a negroni made with mezcal in place of gin. As a one-off, as well as Tommaso they’d brought in a DJ and the atmosphere was just superb. I fully intended to just have one drink but then, I was just enjoying myself too much. Tommaso showed why he is a head bartender by not only mixing superb drinks but identifying I was on my own and coming out from behind the bar to introduce himself and check I was having a good time, a connection he maintained until I left quite some time later (basically at the end of the night - ahem). I had another drink, an off-menu strawberry negroni which reminded me more of a martini (or, what I think of as a martini as I’m no aficionado). And then another of those cheesy truffle tlayudas (and to demonstrate just how exceptional the service is, I placed my order with the manager from my previous visit and she remembered exactly my dietary requirements!) and then…another negroni! This time, a L’Ora del Bitter or, as I like to call it a “Ceci n’est pas une tranche d’orange” – a more classic negroni taste but again without the gin, topped with a slice of orange jelly. I mean, this drink just delighted me.

As I prepared to leave, some of the bartenders including Tommaso and a couple of friends who were propping up the bar were readying to have a shot together, one of the bartenders (thank you Jason!) called me over and offered me his shot. We all clinked glasses (minus Jason who now didn’t have one – don’t worry, he got one in the end) and downed our drinks. I left with the biggest grin on my face and the feeling that I’d just had quite a special evening indeed.

I was lucky enough to attend an event a couple of weeks ago at the hotel as part of London Cocktail Week that was aimed at Trade (goodness only knows how I wangled my way in*, actually - I do, I just asked if I could go as it sounded super interesting) where a panel of absolute legends in the bar and drinks world talked about the industry and their careers. One of the things that really struck me was an idea that really, the job of a bartender is to make sure the customer leaves happier than when they arrived. And I tell you what, I don’t know how they managed it for I was already on Cloud 9 when I got there on Negroni Night but, they succeeded.

I know I fall in love too easily but, I’m 100% in love with Side Hustle and The NoMad Hotel. And Camparino (though, I haven’t even been…yet. Pah ha!). 

*As I am now a bartender in a pub, yes…you read that right, more on that in due course, I guess I’m now trade too! Woohoo.