DO YOU ever feel like you’re paying too much for a cocktail and then when you try it you realise you don’t even like it?

That can happen quite often on nights out, you think the margarita sounds like a good option but £8 later and you end up giving it to a friend because it’s too strong.

It would be great if you could have a variety of cocktail tasters to try before buying a full sized one that you know you’ll really enjoy.

Well, now there’s a venue in Gwent that will let you do just that.

The Mad Platter Microbar and Kitchen is hidden away among the pubs and eateries in the idyllic town of Usk in Monmouthshire. It opened in November last year and is said to already be becoming a popular venue among local residents and others in and around Gwent.

The venue, which is a twist on the name of the Alice in Wonderland character the Mad Hatter, serves full cocktails as well as platters of food, nibbles and taster cocktails.

A lot of the cocktails are themed with Alice in Wonderland style names such as ‘Don’t be Late’ and ‘The Warren Chase’, as well as one referring to their location called ‘Don’t Usk Why’.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of platters, including a Prosecco platter where you can make your own Bellinis with a variety of syrups.

Mixologist and consultant at The Mad Platter, Christos Kyriakidis, said the platters are a great way for customers to try out different types of drinks that they may have no necessarily tried before.

He said: “The good thing we do is specialise in platters of cocktails. It’s a great thing for a group of people or even just for a couple. You get to try the platter, which consists of little tasters. It gives customers a chance to see if they like them and then they can buy a normal sized one.

“We offer a variety of cocktails as well as nibbles like platters of meat and nuts and things like that.”

Mr Kyriakidis, who has previously worked in Newport’s Mojo The Food Bar, said at the moment the most popular drinks and platters are the ones with gin and Prosecco.

“Gin is something which has made a huge comeback,” he said. “It’s something which has come back and it’s very big at the moment. It’s been a very popular choice for us.

“Our Prosecco platter is very successful too. Customers get six different little bottles and a variety of syrups so they can make different types of Bellini cocktails.”

Cocktails and food are not the only things customers can get on a platter, as locally sourced ale and cider is another platter go to.

Mr Kyriakidis said the microbar buys the ale and cider directly from local producers, and that the venue also sources all their ingredients locally.

“It’s something that is very important for us here at The Mad Platter,” he said.

“There’s a lot of ales and ciders that we have as well.”

Along with serving the platters, the venue also has cocktail masterclasses on Monday and Tuesday evenings ranging from £30 per person to £50 per person.

For £30 visitors can enjoy a welcome gin and tonic on arrival, see a demonstration of three cocktails and taste them, have two cocktails each and have a go at making them themselves.

And for £50, customers will receive a seasonal Bellini on arrival, see a demonstration and tasting of five classic classics and have three cocktails each. They will be able to have a go at making cocktails and will receive a recipe cocktail card, gift bag and will have nibbles and cold buffet food.

Speaking about opening the venue, the owner of The Mad Platter, Victoria Lewis, said she decided to open it after identifying there was “a gap in the area for a good bar with an atmospheric feeling when you walk in.”

She said: “Most bars and pubs in the area are traditional old man pubs where the young ladies might not feel as comfortable. I wanted a warm welcoming environment where people would feel comfortable walking in on their own.

“The staff are an integral part of the bars feeling with their warm welcoming personalities and local knowledge of the customers.”

Ms Lewis has grown up in the pub industry so she says the environment is very natural to her.

Her mother and father – Tracey and Clive - previously ran The Crown in Raglan, The Castle in Usk, The Three Salmons in Usk and Warwicks in Tal-y-Coed.

Ms Lewis said that she was brought up in Usk when the town was “full of life” and over the past few years said it has been “slowly dying.”

She said: “I decided to stop complaining that there was nowhere to go or anything to do in the area and decided to do something about it. I’m overwhelmed by the support of the locals and amount of new faces we are also attracting to the town.

“I hope the business goes from strength to strength with the continued support.”

At the moment, the kitchen is not fully open and serves small platters, but it will be fully opened within the next few weeks offering a selection of platters and other foods which are yet to be finalised.

For more information about The Mad Platter, visit themadplatter.co.uk or email enquiries@themadplatterusk.co.uk