The Review - Glam Boutique

Glam nightclub stands out in Cardiff as a unique and much loved place, nowhere else has such a formidable looking queue or such hype bestowed upon it. With this prestigious reputaion, those behind Glam have taken over the former Fat Cat bar next door, translating their style and image over to a brand new cocktail and tapas bar called Boutique. Last night they held their opening night and we headed down for a couple of drinks to see what was what.

We entered through monogrammed glass doors to find slick, modern decor and a huge interior, flanked with a lengthy bar on the right, VIP tables to our left and cosy chairs in the middle. Those inside were dolled up to the nines, the whole place wafted glamour and we wandered over to see if the drinks could match up to the lofty ambitions of the interior. We went for  Espresso Martini's and the club's signature cocktail, a Unique Boutique that combined actual passionfruit, a shot of prosecco and a melding of vanilla vodka, pineapple juice and lime that might sound bizarre, but dazzled when you went for it properly.

Indeed, having licked the fruit, shotted the prosecco and sipped the cocktail and moved to some executive style black chairs, it appeared that this unusual cocktail combination was metaphorical for the entire place. The capacious interior, the motley of various seating arrangements and plus materials work well as a combination, giving off an air of sophistication, but one that's easily accessible. However, if you dig a little deeper, you discover that a great deal of effort and time has gone into making this place special.

Glam Boutique's menus are varied and feature a fantastic selection of daiquiri's, conventional cocktails and champagne based drinks, which you order from one of the nicest looking bars anywhere in Cardiff. The soft yellow glow bathes the lines of spirits, almost appearing to glow and if you delve deeper towards the back of the bar, behind the DJ booth you find some very snug raised couches that afford you a lovely view down through the venue. The bartenders are also keen to make sure your drinks turn out how you'd like, while it takes 5 seconds to ask how sweet you want your Espresso Martini, the fact that they ask shows real care. The muddle of chairs is in fact well ordered, the subtle step up to the VIP tables a very deliberate choice and the music, louder than your average bar is a huge selling point.

Congratulations have to go to the resident DJ last night, who was spinning a fabulous selection of conventional chilled house tunes mixed in with some classic disco sounds and beats. Riffs from a hundred dance tunes to nod your head and tap your feet to set the scene perfectly for the night ahead and here you find the soul of Glam Boutique. It's neither an alternative nor neccesarily a precursor to the accompanying Glam nightclub but a new experience entirely. It seeks to bring sophistication, merged with good music to the beginning of your night, a place to see and be seen like nowhere else in Cardiff.