Cocktails and Cabaret at Soho’s Compton Cross

I cannot remember the last time I went out on a Sunday night. Or that exact point in my life when I started to lean towards hibernating from about 4pm onwards rather religiously every Sunday. So when an opportunity came about to venture to Soho on a recent Sunday evening, I welcomed it with open arms.

My drinking partner and I put on our best Sunday attire and headed out to Old Compton Street for a few cocktails and a spot of cabaret at The Compton Cross.

The Compton Cross is a new cocktail and cabaret bar which opened in the heart of Soho last month, occupying the premises which previously housed the famous Molly Moggs.

We arrived and sat at a table near the bar, which as we soon discovered was the prime spot to be picked on by the cabaret act that followed….

We spent a few moments studying the lengthy cocktail menu and soaking up the atmosphere. The room felt intimate, with gold and black themed design adding a stylish and elegant flare of opulence. The music was soulful, transporting us back to a 1920s Chicago bar.

The cocktails, as in the other Marmalade Pub Company bars I’ve been to, were outstanding, and prepared with much care by the trained mixologists working the bar.

As we were already in adventurous mood, we also tried a selection of handmade liquors on offer, which came served in a wooden ‘treasure chest’. The flavours were intriguing, including mushroom vodka, orange bourbon and lemongrass tequila, with nutella and chilli vodka being our ultimate favourite.

Sunday nights at The Compton Cross welcome the legendary Drag Queen Tiffaney Wells, and there was much excitement as she entered the room. She circled the room in a true diva style, talking to the regulars and saying hello to new faces.

As we sat an arm’s distance from the small stage, it meant we ended up with starring roles in Tiffaney’s three-hour set. Needless to say, the contents of the ‘treasure chest’ came in very handy for a bit of Dutch courage, and was consumed with much enthusiasm by my drinking partner and I.

The night we went was Remembrance Day Sunday, and to mark the occasion Tiffaney wore a sequin Union Jack dress and – as she later revealed quite frequently – matching underwear too. There were British flags scattered around everywhere and two war veterans attended as guests of honour. With many popular British songs from Queen to Vera Lynn sung in harmony with the audience, it turned out to be an emotional occasion at times.

As Tiffaney’s stage was situated by the window facing the Old Compton Street, tourists and passers-by stopped frequently throughout the night, taking photos and having a good ol’ laugh with Tiffaney. She posed through the steamed up glass, revelling in the attention and entertaining anyone who stopped to admire her and her amazing outfit. Occasionally she would lift up her dress to flash her Union Jack underwear, causing hysteria inside and outside the room. It was quite an eye full!

We laughed and we sang, and then laughed some more. It was so much fun – quite the Sunday night to remember.

• The Compton Cross hosts cabaret shows every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evening. Cabaret performances are free but reserving a table is highly recommended as the room was full almost an hour before the show started!
• There are 2-4-1 Happy Hours on cocktails available daily, as well as delicious artisan pizzas on the menu, with offers such as £7 for pizza and a pint of craft beer.
• The Compton Cross, 2 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TA. Nearest Tubes Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. See www.thecomptoncross.com for more information.