11:11

A hotel, a rooftop bar, an experience

Extravagance. Luxury. A treat. This is what springs to mind upon entrance to the 11 Mirrors Design Hotel. The theme continues as the elevator attendant asks to which floor you might like to go, then advocating a necessary look in the mirror. I wonder what he is implying, thinking immediately there must be something wrong with my appearance. Only once this place starts to soak in however do reflections truly start to reveal themselves.

A Twist

As Friday calls for a cocktail, their signature Lower Manhattan is ordered. It is a twist on the traditional, and while not all contemporary takes on what is tried and tested are a welcome change, I don’t feel that way about this concoction. I think a drink says something not just about the person drinking it, but without doubt generates a certain mood. If you are looking to improve yours, their signature cocktail list is a good place to start.

As I am admiring an absolutely amazing sunset – it is 19.30 in the summer after all, a cloud of shellfish appears on the table. Dry ice wafts about as I try to fathom what is in front of me. IOnce the smoke clears, a mix of real crab meat, with hints of mango, avocado, and a homemade mayonnaise is revealed. In fact, the concoction is reminiscent of the local Olivier salad, bez all the “bologna”. The caviar at the summit makes for a beautiful pop not just of colour but taste.

Top 5

I ponder the interior as the second course is prepared. Dressed in jewel tones of velvet, with a puzzled wooden floor, brass accents, and a ridiculous view challenging even that of the illustrious Hyatt’s Bar on 8, this venue is a treat, in every sense, and should be tried at least once. Especially if you appreciate good service: theirs is an accomplished staff who are exceptionally well-trained (certainly within the top 5 of Kyiv).

Plate #2 – Beef Tartare, is presented as a lovely little pile of beef topped with a quail’s egg, parmesan crisps, with little green wisps of green vinery as tasty decoration. The menu details additional items, but it’s not until I bite into this culinary indulgence that I realise I have been remis. I don’t need bacon, and in fact often choose the “without” option, but these little crisps absolutely make this dish. Add to that the hint – no more – of truffle cream that hits in a few bites here and there.

Edible Inventory

Lower East Side – 300 UAH
Crab Salad – 640 UAH
Beef Tartar – 460 UAH
Shiraz Love Grass, d’Arenberg, Australia (150ml) – x2 240UAH
Field Berry & Basil Sorbet 180 UAH

Reflection

As evening turns to night, the lighting inside reflects the diurnal adjustment, and rather than the sun lighting up the city, lights from buildings, cathedrals, and historical erections take over this responsibility. The music too has turned from jazz covers of famous tunes to an electronic smorgasbord. For me personally, the mix is generic. But for the various tables and their collection of accents the selection seems to work.

Though not a huge wine list, theirs is a decent selection: an Australian Shiraz by-the-glass option is what I am enjoying at the moment. And with most priced around $50-$60 for bottles of French, Italian, Spanish, Australian, American, etc, it’s really not a bad match considering the clientele this venue attracts. Next I return I will ensure time is set aside for the great list of various Scotch options on offer.

Though I must be off, the menu suggests you will have a “gastronomic experience” at this design hotel. It doesn’t lie. But there is so much more to 11 Mirrors. I urge you too to take a look in the mirror. You never know what you might find.