Roll up, roll up.. If you haven't already heard, Cheltenham has a super swish new hotel/restaurant/bar, and, hooray, its really good (it is also stumbling distance from home - bonus). 131 The Promenade, home of Crazy Eights, comes from the Lucky Onion group, which is responsible for The Tavern, just around the corner, and the increasingly popular Wheatsheaf in Northleach. Clearly, a huge amount of money has been invested into it's beautiful restoration, so, fear not, it won't be one of those places that pops up, gets a lot of hype, then gets forgotten about; it's here to stay and its going to be BIG, but maybe take a trip there soon whilst it's still out to impress and gleaming.
Situated opposite The Imperial Gardens and The Queens Hotel, the epic Georgian building, which had been left derelict for so many years, now stands proud (the additional topiary is a nice touch too). There are eleven luxurious rooms, each individually decorated and furnished, and the restaurant and bar are split over two floors, with private dining rooms, sitting rooms and a small library. Although it's a vast building, it feels very cosy, almost den like; you could easily hide away in here for days. Attention to detail has been the key here, 131 has managed to retain it's Georgian heritage, whilst boasting a very contemporary identity. Antiques and oddities fill every room, plush chairs and sofas invite you to sit down, and statement pieces of art make great talking points.
Anyway, its been just over a month since we ventured there for dinner and drinks - we've been back since (.. on more than one occasion as you'd imagine) - and it was the first night 131 was open to the public, strictly reservations only though. We plonked ourselves at the bar, on the stunning teal/turquoise leather bar chairs, and hit the cocktail menu. All on one page, which is my personal preference, it comprises a list of forgotten classics and interesting combinations, Beer & Smoke, for example, sees mezcal, lime, celery bitters, cholula and Bobby lager mixed together. I started safe, and opted for a Pisco Sours, whilst the chap chose a Penicillin (scotch, peated scotch, lemon, ginger, honey). 
No sooner as they had slipped down, we were seated for dinner. The food is British seasonal fare, and, where possible, locally sourced, with a heavy emphasis on seafood and steaks. There's good value to be had on the menu, with mains around the £15-£20 mark, though some dishes are pretty steep (the 1.2 kilo steak titled 'The Axe' comes in at £125). Another round of cocktails - this time I had a Chrysanthemum (dry vermouth, benedictine, absinthe, orange bitters) - and some Hobbs House sourdough with butter, then we just about managed to decide what we wanted to eat. It was hard, the venison wellington was very tempting.
The chap had a steak, rare, I dont remember which one, with stilton hollandaise and a side order of duck fat chips. A classic Friday night dinner and an award winning combo if you ask me; sweet tender meat, salty creamy sauce, crisp fluffy centred chips, and a good handful of refeshing watercress to balance it out.
With steak tatare on the menu, lets face it, I was never going to choose anything else. Steak, finely chopped with shallots, capers, herbs and the likes, with a golden egg yolk on top; it was served with super thin, super crisp toasts, and I had a side order of green beans to top up my 5-a-day. The idea of this dish - raw steak, raw egg - isn't for everyone, but for me, it was perfect; indulgent but not heavy.
We couldnt fit in desserts, but they had things like apple and date crumble with custard, hot chocolate pudding with clementine sorbet, brown sugar parfait with anise poached quince (all £6), and the obligatory cheese board supplied by local Neal's Yard Dairy (£9/12).
131 is the place to come for a decent drink in a stunning setting - maybe with a cheeky charcuterie plate from Trealy Farm (£6/12) - and as for dinner, it's quite the occasion place, so get planning for your birthdays. Shamefully, I haven't had the bright blue 131 cocktail yet (gin, blue raspberry syrup, lemon, egg white), so that means I'd better get back there pronto, right?..
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