Visible is a cocktail lounge bar serving Mezze and Tapas in a relaxed atmosphere, attracting an eclectic mix of people.
"We like to drink," Deema states, as Waseem looks up from his frothy cocktail, nodding.
It is no surprise, then, that the brother and sister duo are familiar with the typical London bar scene, which usually includes either mushy peas or contemporary art. It still has its perks, however, which is why a collection of friends, a good mix of spirits, and a nagging sense of entrepreneurial courage flourished the idea of owning their own pub. So, two years ago, the engineer and lawyer, respectively, decided to heed their friends' advice, and opened a place of their own.
A set of low slung couches, thick wooden tables and candles peppered around the small Portobello road property makes it an oddity: where are the swirling beams of light? The plastic stools? The waif-like women?
No, the atmosphere does not promote the subliminal meat-market of posh Portobello gastro-pubs, but swathes its walls in deep red, fills them with gallery art, and heightens the cultural appeal of what a pub can be. And this, to Deema and Waseem, is home.
With its low background beats and palpable ease, Visible seems more of the coffee-house-from-when-coffee-houses-weren't-chains era, which is a welcome relief for its patrons: a surprising mix of the Chelsea lot, Notting Hill Boho's, and Portobello's own Rastafarians. Deema and Waseem bring an interesting swing to the ring; they spend most their 'after-hours' mingling with regulars and concocting new drinks, staples of the atmosphere.
On most nights an acoustic set hums out from a corner, which is usually hand-picked by Deema, the walls are always covered with moody portraits and slimy paintings, and pub-goers are emblazoned with the smiles of sweet cocktails and good company. The drinks menu offers a proud assembly of fresh-fruit drinks and shots at a respectable UKP6.50, with the Sombrero (Stoli, raspberries, passion fruit liquor and OJ) and varied Mojitos being the most popular, and the food menu is even more delightful: proper English breakfast is served alongside a mix of Mediterranean tapas, with the spicy lab skewers, Kubbeh and Manakeesh holding strong to Freijs' heritage.
Most remarkable about Visible is its steadiness in the midst of Portobello chaos. Despite its new birth, Visible's proclivity to sweep in a healthy mass of regulars and keep them satisfied gives it a continued appeal that will outlast many of the plastic chaired, waif-like women-bars that Portobello knows and knows some more.
- Megan Retka
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