"A" is for Amicus Apple "C" is for Cocktail

Amicus Apple is an anomaly not just for its daring decor; started by three close friends it’s a style bar with a positively friendly feel. As co-owner Kenny Graham put it, “We just wanted to create a bar for people like us.” The name itself came after months of deliberation, the first suggestion ‘Abacus Apple’ lifted from a list of cat names Kenny found on the Internet. It was then suggested to use ‘amicus’, the Latin word for friend, which stuck, obviously.

Although located on busy Fredrick Street, Amicus Apple is set back below street level, lending the space a slightly isolated feel; a refuge from the bustle outside. The interior is every bit as unique, with every aspect down to the leather kick plates having been pre-planned. Ideas evolved following months of investigation, Kenny and co-owners Calum MacKinnon and Colin Heart venturing to London in order to investigate other bars for inspiration.

At first the predominately white interior is a little blinding, until you notice the changing colours. A complex lighting system has been installed, and uses the white surfaces to project different colours, softer during the day while stronger colours are used in the evening. The furniture is a mix of the modern and the classic - one piece pantone chairs, wooden chessboard tables, leather couches – which might sound like a peculiar combination, but somehow fits together to give the bar it’s particular Kubrik-esque cool.

The cocktail menu also pushes the friendly persona with original concoctions dreamt up by head bartender Calum accompanied by some interesting anecdotes from Kenny, such as the, “Rosehip Romance (£7.25) – Those red berries you could rub down people’s backs in Primary School as a useful form of itching powder. Those were the days… Thundercats… Transformers and the legend that was Micro Machines.”

The food menu is also an adventure, full of brave combinations of flavours, and will be changing frequently as all the produce is locally sourced and therefore dependent on what is seasonally available. We began with the pork rillete and smoked pork hough terrine (£6) which sounds like a meat overdose but was brilliantly carried off and featured a variety of complex flavours, while the seared salmon, artichoke, cucumber and lime salad (£6.50) was simply exquisite, the only downside being that it wasn’t a main.

This was followed up by pan-fried sea bass with asparagus, new potatoes and brown shrimp buerre noisette (£16) and while I'm suspicious that some of those words are made up, the dish was convincing; so full of flavour that it demanded to be devoured slowly. The rack of lamb (£18) was a little fatty, but the meat was otherwise tender and succulent, while the mash and bean concoction that accompanied the dish would have sufficed as a meal on its own.

The desserts of honey cheesecake (£6) and berry mousse (£6) were packed with flavour without being too sweet, a refreshing and decadent end to a cleverly thought out menu.

We then moved to the bar and discovered drink promotions including champagne cocktails for £5 (using Alain Thienot Champagne, a new non-vintage brand that has already won several awards) and double shots of spirits for £3.50. Sampling just a few examples from the extensive cocktail menu, our favourites were the Nutty Applewood (£5.95) with its hints of coconut, and Slip Me Some Skin (£5.95)with its subtle use of Bacardi Oro.