Opened in late fall 2007, Electric Birdcage at Haymarket in the heart of London’s West End, has been receiving mixed reviews. One thing is certain, though, it IS getting a reaction from everyone who visits.

This extravagant cocktail bar and restaurant is positioned on Haymarket in the heart of London’s West End.

Electric Birdcage is a magnificently weird combination of Alice in Wonderland and Russian Aristocrat, dim sum parlor and late-night cocktail bar, sophisticated party venue and silly funhouse.

Electric Birdcage’s surrealistic interior includes a Fibonacci-style patterned floor, tables made of tree roots, gigantic pink hands for chairs, lavish Vegas-style mirrors, imposing black stallions, two snarling black polymer panthers, a carousel bar and iron birdcage chandeliers dangling from a pink ceiling. Even the DJ operates from a birdcage.

Features include a tree roots that become tables, a pair of ebonised stallions, a stained glass window and three huge iron birdcage chandeliers that dangle from a florescent pink ceiling.

At the black marble bar, sit in a turquoise hand (that’s a chair) and drink an Electric Angel (vodka, creme de cacao, apple schnapps and fresh cream) or champagne-based Electric Birdcage, which serves eight. In the restaurant, eat dumplings filled with prawn and chives, char sui buns with pork and sweet onion, or sticky rice with mango.

Complete with carousel bar, lavish Vegas mirrors, stunning monochrome Fibonacci patterned walls and floor, imposing black stallions, giant bird cages, turquoise hand shaped chairs and lashings of fluorescent pink, the exaggerated splendour of The Electric Birdcage creates a magical environment in which to savour a superlative range of innovative cocktails, alongside contemporary Pan Asian cuisine.

Capacity crowd of 300, served by cute staff in retro airline get-up, can order Pan-Asian fare by head chef Somporn Khamsaenphan all day, and stay until 4 am enjoying cocktails by mixologist Chad Shields. You and seven friends can share the signature Electric Birdcage bowl filled with a mix of champagne, Absolut Raspberri peach schnapps, Cointreau, Absolut Citron, strawberry puree, gomme syrup, orange juice, fresh raspberries and blueberries.

Visitors are greeted at the entrance before being ushered in to the main room, which is dominated by a dramatic, black and cream carousel bar beneath a high and elegant red stucco ceiling and featuring matching banquettes and cushions ranged around the matt black-painted walls, plus glass-topped turquoise tables with companion wicker stools. Guarding the entrance to the elegant, larger rear room (closed on quiet nights, as when we visited) are two huge, snarling panthers cast in black polymer, and beyond them, a display case full of painted wooden birdcages.

The drinks menu - which offers everything from green tea to beers, wines, champagnes, premium spirits and exclusive cocktails - is as imaginative as you’d expect of such a classy joint. Alongside the classic mint Mojito, there’s also a coriander version, while the Frozen Vanilla Honey Bee (Absolut Vanilla, Kahlúa, Bailey’s, honey liqueur Bärenjäger and vanilla ice cream) proves the venue’s eccentricities aren’t restricted to décor. To eat, there’s a mix of oriental nibbles and dim sum. The sole sour note is struck by the music, a grisly (if mercifully quiet) mix of Café del Mar-style ‘chill-out’ and Chinese coffee-table pop. Even Babs would know that’s far from hip.

Electric Birdcage opening hours:
Mondays to Friday: 12 noon till (very) late
Saturday: 5pm till (very) late