Dinner at Evans & Peel Detective Agency

Maybe it’s the budding actress in me, but God, I do love a bit of roleplay. Especially when that roleplay involves a night out and a bit of time travel. Enter stage right, the Evans & Peel Detective Agency. Behind an entirely unassuming door on an Earl’s Court side street is this little gem of a find: the sort of quirky, you-don’t-find-it-anywhere-else place that reminds me why I live in London. Ring the doorbell for your appointment (that’s booking to the non-detective layman), and step inside to be transported to a prohibition era office, complete with typewriter and obligatory green shaded lamp. The “detective” will ask you about your case – when making a booking you’ll need to be creative enough to come up with some sort of back story – and it’s up to you how far you take the roleplay. After hashing out the main facts of your case, you’ll be asked to sit in the waiting room, which emerges when the resident detective pulls back their sturdy bookcase. Ah ha – a speakeasy!

Thankfully (for some) there is where your acting for the night ends. The decor inside the dimly-lit space is in keeping with the times, apothecary style cabinets take up space behind the bar, cut-glass beakers sit on tables and light shades and curtains are full of velvet and tassels. The cocktail menu takes reference from the era with creative names and even more creative ingredients – ranging from cardamom to beetroot. The food menu takes second place to the drinks, encompassing mainly glorified bar snacks. Nearly everything has been smoked, some dishes more successfully than others. The mac ‘n’ cheese is glorious – the pulled pork with corn chips less so.

This is the sort of place one could end up spending a lot of money. With cocktails starting at £10 a pop, and the sort of dark lighting which invites a heavy night, don’t be surprised if your bill (and your hangover) reach epic proportions.

Evening cocktails with Phileas Fogg

As the descent into the dark afternoons of the winter months begins, spending time indoors getting that warm glow only a good gin cocktail can give seems like an excellent way to spend a Saturday. Which is exactly why I took myself off to try out Mr Fogg's, the latest offering from the chaps behind Battersea favourite Bunga Bunga and Thatcher-themed Maggie's.

Arriving at 5pm, the bar was almost empty, which suited well as we had made the faux pas of not making a reservation. The doorman rang the buzzer to allow us entry and we were greeted by a gaggle of uniformed young men ushering us inside. The owners really have gone to town with the adventurer-theme and it certainly makes an impression. On walking in, it feels like you are stepping into a Disney-fied colonial drawing room, complete with pith helmets, game skulls, old trunks and antique flags. Every corner is festooned with all manner of explorer’s trinket - I defy anyone not to be won over by the sheer attention to detail in this bar. The cocktails are pricey but delicious - they don't scrimp on the alcohol and when served up in old fashioned cut glass they seem worth every penny. The staff are helpful and happy to tailor cocktails for your taste buds although the huge menu should cover even the pickiest drinker.

I'm a sucker for a themed bar, and all the better if the loo can carry on the story in style. Every aspect, from the vintage toilet roll holders to the audio reading of "Around the World in Eighty Days" was as it should be.

We spent hours getting to know the cocktail menu in this wonderful, if slightly peculiar place. I will certainly be back - post-payday it must be said - but perhaps not every week. A fantastical trip into Victorian eccentricity and definitely one for the tourist looking for a slice of London at its oddest.