#1 | Botanik Bar, Wasserturm Hotel, Cologne, Germany
Visit: Spring 2022
After ages I had the opportunity to visit a new bar here in Cologne again. It seemed that after the Woods & the Monkey Bar in the 25 hours hotel a bit like a standstill in the city, even if those openings were "only" 3 years ago. Before that new bars opened with shorter pauses between them, but at some point maybe a limit is reached, a large part of the audience developed and after all, only one of the higher-quality bars in 4-5 years shut down and this already before Corona. Ah yes, the Shepheard, someday I will write a R.I.P. review as a memorial.
Now 3 options were available to me: a young, new design hotel directly on the “Ring” (big main boulevard with a lot of gastronomy in Cologne), the Ruby with corresponding bar. A little suspicious to me so far, since virtually no info on the bar except the design concept on their own site and elsewhere, but funnily enough they call themselves on Google officially "Ruby Ella Hotel & Bar". Well, let's see about that in the future...
Otherwise the second option, I wanted to go to a elegant, very modern, Greek restaurant in the southern part of the city, the Phaedra Restaurant, since a good bartender from my favorite place stands behind the bar there now.
And the third, at the end of last year came the news that one of Cologne's former 5-star flagship hotels, the Wasserturm, after insolvency, mudslinging, reopening, etc. pp. also opened a chic skyline rooftop bar with a botanical theme on the 11th floor. This happened under the creative direction of Paul Thompson, previously at Suderman Bar among others, which I can also recommend if you’re looking for a rather young, modern, city bar with quality drinks. The hotel itself continues its modern, elegant design language after the renovation, it's quick to get upstairs and the first smirk came to my lips right when I entered the bar on the 11th floor roundel.
Let me say it like this, would someone wake me up in the morning, a bit sleepy, in this bar, I would think I would have woken up in the aforementioned Monkey Bar. Like sadly almost every new/renovated hotel the last 5 years in most of Germany: this post-modern, retro-inspired look from midcentury to 70s across the board, with focus on the latter, the round building of course makes it even more blatant & obvious as a point of comparison since the 25 hours is a round building too. I'm just starting to get sick of this style, but that's my own problem....
And then the second fun fact, typical Cologne and typical of the bar scene currently: the gentleman who was still on all promotional photos, Instagram and the website for the bar during my visit, is already no longer there.
Instead, Katrin Löcher, also previously bar manager at Suderman, has taken over from Paul. So of course, unfortunately, the drinks are not yet from her, but that will certainly come in the future. There are so far 7 signature drinks, 6 classic cocktails, although these are also partly small twists (e.g. a tequila Negroni), 3 low-ABV drinks (all wine-based, but better than nothing and an interesting alternative) and 3 non-alcoholic. There is also a mini-drink that you can order directly in the "full tray" for what is effectively 11 small shots or small glasses, with vodka, passion fruit, tarragon, caramel espuma and some ginger ale.
First I ordered the "The Bee's Niece' Knees", a Continental Sour twist with honey, apple and cardamom. In which way they used apple (juice, brandy) in it or cardamom (e.g. bitters, infusion, etc.) I did not ask specifically. Nice drink, good whiskey sour, maybe one of the 4-5 best I've had in bars. Not that I would order it often. You could actually taste besides the main flavors of a Continental Sour the honey and apple, the cardamom was maybe a bit too invisible, but 5-6 flavors are already more than in some Cologne hype bars…
"The Bee's Niece' Knees"
Then the "Cool Rummings", obviously a Mai Tai, nice gag on the menu with "Rum | Rum | Rum | Rum" plus cherry jam, orgeat, a herbal honey liqueur. Nice although not overwhelming Mai Tai, honestly no comparison to Seiberts Mai Tais or for example my lost & closed dream stop in Paris, Mabel. But still a really solid Mai Tai twist with tasty cherry and good rum power, very present. Just slightly herbaceous, some notes somewhat got lost in the background..
“Cool Rummings”
So the conclusion is that for the start you can find really solid drinks and also a good variation for a "smaller" opening menu, but at the same time the extra theming of "botanicals" seems a bit exaggerated and is not quite adhered to fully, in both drinks the botanicals were really not the stars.
In addition, the food part of the menu sounds really good and there are various categories from cheap little bar snacks (got the housemade sea salt caramel popcorn for free and it was actually very tasty) to real meals, modern but also a little soul food. From Vietnamese lemongrass shrimp skewers, beef tartare and more at the "Bites and Nibbles" (12-14h and 17-22h), to mentioned popcorn varieties, olives, tapas plate etc. at the "Snacks" (same serving times), desserts in the form of Gin Tonic & rum grilled pineapple sorbets and full courses, with for example sheep cheese soufflé and steak.
I would definitely come back in a couple of months, maybe with an extended menu, then certainly also trying the more extensive food options.
Oh and the view is indeed great, as with the Monkey Bar, almost 360 degree view of Cologne, right in the center.
