Brooklyn Bowl
When I heard that Brooklyn Bowl had opened in the O2 my initial reaction was one of surprise, as I wasn’t sure that the location fitted with that quirky live music and bowling venue that they have over the pond, but how wrong I was!
Most of the venues surrounding the main O2 arena are restaurants solely catering for those going to a show, but a few changes are happening with some outlets bucking the trend by offering an experience without having to have a concert ticket. For those new to the O2 (are there any?), there was already a cinema in the O2, but now it has a marvellous bowling alley coupled with a good restaurant to while away the hours. This venue also offers live music of its own at times during the week, so check before you go, as the O2 is now so much more than just a large concert hall.
We headed to Brooklyn Bowl on a Saturday afternoon, and my wife, my 13 year old daughter and I decided to lock horns down a 60ft lane where the only thing standing between us and glory, were10 large pins seemingly daring us to knock them down.
My love of bowling started early in life when I was taken to the local bowling alley by my Dad, and 35 years later I now love taking my own children to this great past time which is fun for all the family.
Brooklyn Bowl is definitely the best bowling alley we have been to, as it caters well for kids as well as adults and its ambience and style is a cut above the rest. As you enter the main bowling area the first thing you realise is the size of the area. To your left is a well-stocked bar and to the right the 12 bowling lanes and straight ahead a large screen which, when we arrived, was showing cartoons.The de´cor is unashamedly retro American and I especially loved the ceiling with its exposed pipework giving the feeling of being in a basement, albeit one with a high ceiling! The first hint that things are different is that, unlike other bowling lanes, you don’t swap your shoes at the entrance, but instead you go to your own luxurious chesterfield sofa by your lane and your bowling shoes are brought to you by your own waiter/waitress. The lanes are modern and the balls shiny and new, but despite all of this help, our bowling didn’t match that quality, but we had a great time trying. When you pay, you pay for the lane, so for £15.95 eight of you can bowl for 1/2hr. To give you an idea of timings the 3 of us bowled 2 1/2 games in the hour we had and we had a number of breaks for nibbles and drinks.
When I first went bowling the food and drink served could, at best, be described as patchy, but over the years the quality has improved considerably, and at Brooklyn Bowl the food is so good you could be forgiven for forgetting to bowl! The food can be eaten by the lane, in the bar area or in the restaurant, and the menu is so crammed full of delights it is as hard to list them all here as it was to choose them on the day.
We decided to eat before the bowling, and although the appetisers looked very good with light and Crispy Calamari (£8.50) or one I will definitely return for, namely the Cajun Prawn Cocktail (£8.50) which sounds intriguing, we passed so we had room for the other courses. The menu is undeniably American, and between us my daughter chose the Mac & Cheese (£8) which, much to my dismay, she declared was ‘infinitely better than the one I cook, as it was creamy and had just the right amount of cheese’, and a side of chips (£4). My wife had the 1/2 Rack of Pork Ribs with french fries and coleslaw (£15.95) which even the most blase´ of diners would say was enormous. The rich and succulent pork just fell off the bone and was generously covered in a robust bbq sauce and frankly, unless you are ravenous, was plenty for two. I chose a mixed Fried Chicken Platter (mixed being a selection of white and dark chicken) and a side of chips. The chicken is offered in portions of 4, 8, 12, 16 or 24 ranging in price from £10 to £44. I have had fried chicken many times in the UK and all over the US, and this offering compares favourably to the best I have had, with the succulent chicken covered in a delightfully light and crunchy batter perfectly seasoned. As mentioned the pieces of chicken are truly large and a portion of 8 pieces would happily feed 3 hungry people, so beware, as you may find you have ordered too much food. Luckily staff happily provide doggy bags for any left overs (however, please note that if you are going to the O2 after, they don’t allow food into the arena). Desserts were worth leaving room for, with Chocolate Frosted Cupcakes or Becca’s Brownie (£6) well worth a look for those with a penchant for chocolate, although for me, a Hot Fudge Sundae (£6.50) was more to my taste.
Brooklyn Bowl also caters for those who want just a few drinks whilst they bowl or listen to the music, including a wide range of beers you would usually find, and a few you that you wouldn’t, including Samuel Adams and Knockdown Punk. The latter has been specially brewed for Brooklyn Bowl London, and is crisp and light with a hint of hops, and was so good it may be worth coming back for on its own. Wines are reasonably priced, and the selection caters for all tastes, palates and price ranges, and although I didn’t try any as we opted for the special beers, the cocktails I saw being prepared looked suitably exotic enough to satisfy even the most discerning of tastes.
I love this type of venue as it has something for everyone, from the young to the old, and is so much more than just a bowling alley. The skill which Brooklyn Bowl shows however, is whilst offering all of these different things, each doesn’t infringe or detract from the others. If you just want to bowl you will love it and I, despite my lack of talent, will be visiting again, but will make sure that next time I won’t eat any food with my bowling hand, as I am sure that was the reason for my score!
For further information please visit www.london.brooklynbowl.com.
T: 0207 412 8778
