There's nothing like the sophisticated cocktail to lubricate the evening's festivities, but nothing pops that bubble of civility so quickly as elbow-fighting your way through a raucous, smoky bar. A new breed of bartender provides a logical alternative, bringing the mountain to Mohammed with the mobile bar. Started two years ago by Edward Reis, Woody's is a two-hander (Edward trained under bartending legend Bas (Basian) in London, and Tony Rozario is bar manager at Conrans bluebird) offering more than 1000 cocktail combos stirred in situ. Arriving either with a fully tocked fleet- bar staff, bar height trestle table, glasses and ice- or just a streamlined brtender with backpack (containing shaker, straws, strainers and spoons) the idea is that you choose your menu (from five cocktails) and have use of bar and tender for the whole evening (6pm to midnight). Most mobile bartenders aren't licensed- which means tht alcohol and mixers are at cost price, with Woody's evenings working out at a very drinkable £4 - £12 a head.
Verdict

We used Woody's for a rambunctious hen night in, at which Edward blended and mixed some picture perfect and fantastic coktails from Sex on the Beach and dry martinis to virgin cocktails for the pregnant hens. When he did leave, hours after closing time, he left a huge jug of cosmopolitan to keep us contentedly busy. For 14 it worked out at £150 for Edward's time, £100 on exceedingly cheap booze and acouple of quid on fruit juices provided by us. Definately an addictive prospect. £400-£600 for full cocktail bar, £150 per mobile cocktail bartender. Tel: 0207 3706603 www.woodyscocktails.co.uk

From 'Put Your Feet Up', Metro, 'Edited by Tanis Taylor, December 5 2000