With lashing rain and tube strike meltdown adding anguish to our working lives last week, my own stress levels were at breaking point. Desperate to find a sanctuary far from the madding rush hour crowds, I headed to  Gordon Ramsay’s Union Street Bar  in Southwark for an alternative experience of going underground.

Entering through the restaurant above, the scent of garlic teases my taste buds as exquisite crab and scallop tortellini creations waft past. Stomach grumbling, I scurry down the open-plan staircase to the bar below.

Bathed in subdued lighting, I enter the secret sanctuary of an exclusive private members club. Sturdy steel columns showcase the bar’s past life as an industrial warehouse while laid-back leather sofas and luxurious Persian rugs add a tactile warmth to this homely urban living room.

Sinking down into the sofas with a sigh of relief, my shoulders relax for the first time today as all thoughts of the apocalyptic world above disappear. Cocooned in warmth and comfort, the gentle thrum of contemporary chill-out soundtracks lulls me into a state of serenity not normally experienced at 6.30pm on a Wednesday night.

Freuds Southwark Angel

Suitably chilled, I peruse the cocktail menu which includes traditional Italian classics such as Mezzo e Mezzo (made from Nardini Rabarbaro and Rosso topped with soda) to quirky creations such as The Duke meets the Queen – an exotic concoction of rinquinquin, Riesling, Nardini Bianco and porter syrup stirred and topped with soda. Intrigued by the novelty, I opt for a Southwark Angel – a heavenly match of gin, green chartreuse, raspberries, cucumber, lemon juice and egg whites. The tantalizing zing of raspberry hits my taste buds immediately before my mouth succumbs to the smooth velvety bliss of the Chartreuse and egg white combination.  With a constantly changing cocktail menu, there’s always new intriguing options to try.

Having just celebrated Burns Night, I can’t leave without sampling the Bonnie Girl Smash – (a name which I hope won’t be prophetic). Amazed to find Irn Bru popping up in a cocktail, I wait in heady anticipation of the whiskey, mint, lemon and girder-syrup concoction to come. Sipping tentatively, the mind-blowing mixture of fiery charcoal clashing with cool mint and lemon reaches the parts that no other cocktail can satisfy. With a fortifying fire in my step, I feel more than ready to tackle whatever challenges London Underground puts my way.

I was introduced to Union Street Bar courtesy of Freuds PR agency on behalf of the Gordon Ramsay Group.