Big Eat Out - Platform Twelve
A simple and relaxed night spot
The Gen
Take a night-time stroll along St Benedict’s Street on a Saturday evening and your feet may fall into a syncopated step when passing by Platform Twelve, a piano cocktail bar in the heart of the Norwich Lanes. Music streams through the doorway of a spot that describes itself as a café-bar. It is more accurately a cafe-BAR with the emphasis on drinks rather than food; this is a place to go out to, not to eat dinner at. Rest assured though you will be ably catered for in the choice of drinks and the relaxed musical ambiance.
Atmosphere
Saturday night was jazz night and the heady tones of the tenor sax were as potent an intoxicant as any of the alcohol available behind the bar. Fingers caressing the keys of a baby grand piano accompanied our effete sips. This place must be posh; the last time I went somewhere with a piano it played itself, a stark foreshadowing of when our machine overlords soon take over. The relaxed but chic décor of this city centre bar offers a lovely setting to enjoy a drink or two. A glorious glass double frontage onto the street opens into a beautiful and brightly lit venue packed with eager imbibers. We were welcomed with a wall of sound and friendly smiles peeking through the beards behind the bar. The baby grand piano is elevated in the corner and the musical offerings make this stand out from other similar places in town. The clientele were an eclectic mix of ages and appearances but all united in their desire to have a great night – they’ve come to the right place.
Food
The food should not be the only reason for your visit here, but a small selection of delicious morsels are available with a definite Italianate vibe (for those not versed in Italian, I will translate). These come in the form of antipasti (posh snacks), ciabatta (posh bread) and light bites (spuntini – wait, that’s not helpful at all…). We opted for a selection of three antipasti to accompany our drinks and they came overflowing from terracotta pots on a wooden board. The semi-dried cherry tomatoes were lovely; driselled with oil which cut through the sharpness of our drinks, they were an ideal accompaniment to the cocktails. The sweet chillis stuffed with Greek cheese were like tiny explosions of flavour and a must for any visit. The menu is very reasonable with most items coming in around £3/4 and with portion sizes that lend themselves to sharing!
Drink
This is it. This is why we came. Our debilitating alcohol dependency. Wait! No! Shhh! The bar menu offers a wide range of wines, bottled and draught beers and ciders, spirits and hot drinks. We ignored these in favour of the much more exciting cocktail menu. No, YOU have a problem! Still, the sound of cocktail shakers mingling with the cheerful chatter and jazz piano does make an appealing combination. We opted for an ‘Old Fashioned’ with rye whiskey and a ‘Bitter Elder’ (Gin, apple juice, lemon juice, elderflower cordial and angostura bitters). They went down well. The selection is reasonably wide and well made with a small but fun series of options for non-alcoholics – a particular recommendation would be for the ‘Ginger Curls’, ginger ale, pomegranate juice and lemonade make a fab and refreshing drink! Cocktails are never cheap, but at £7 these seemed fair; you’re paying for skill and for an experience, and to do so in such pleasant surroundings seems like a bargain.
Overall
At its heart, Platform Twelve is a simple and relaxed night spot that focuses on creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. They do this well. It may not be an earth shattering addition to Norwich’s nightlife but with a drink in hand and the piano playing it is a welcome one. Different musical styles are played at different times so there should be something to suit all tastes.
Venue - 8
Fodder - 6
Value - 7
