Best Sips is a look back on the most incredible drinks — alcoholic or otherwise — we had in the past week. Those which renewed our love for established venues; caught our attention at a new opening, or freshly impressed upon us the creativity and skill of Hong Kong’s talented bartenders and mixologists alike. From tipples at charming dive bars to award-winning apéritifs at five-star establishments, these are the best drinks to try in Hong Kong; the drinks we’d recommend you make a special trip for.
The best drinks we sipped on and savoured this week:
Chôm Chôm
The drink: Chef’s Old Fashioned (By Request)
Drink it in, folks: Yet another “Best Sips” flick that manages to focus on neither the foreground nor the background. Yes, I know, I need a new phone. However, this depiction rings far more true-to-life after a few of chef Logan Thomas Hester’s “I’m not a bartender” Old Fashioneds hit your system. Chef gives the classic drink a new attitude with the addition of palm sugar and calamansi. Also new: Hester’s menu at the Elgin Street Hanoi kitchen, featuring spiced sesame crisps, grilled prawn skewers and more. Drop in, splash out and go home happy. — Nathan Erickson, Editor-in-Chief
Chôm Chôm, 58 Peel Street, SoHo, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2810 0850
Percy’s
The drink: Ruby Snapper (HK$98)
The name is a red herring; this is a Bloody Mary. I have a very specific criteria when it comes to Bloody Marys that actually make it on a Best Sip column — see: viscosity, vessel, spice, snacks — and Percy’s get tens across the board. I mean, look at it. Look at it! The skewer of pickled bites that end with a prawn nibble (I did not eat the prawn head; alas, I am not Sandra Kwong) is the most impressive, most comprehensive of all the Bloodys in Hong Kong. Prove me wrong, I dare you. Then, there’s the sip. Percy’s Ruby Snapper is one of the spiciest Bloody Marys I’ve tried — horseradish, I read, is part of the ingredients list — and one with chew. It’s not the kind of runny, watered-down, overly-sweet flavour profile many places in Hong Kong tend to, inexplicably, lean towards when it comes to Bloody Marys. Percy’s, rather, is thick. With density. With a real commitment to the cause. A strong, tomato-ey slurp made a touch savoury with garum (i.e., fish sauce; we’re at Percy’s!).
Now, while I chose to go signature for my first time ‘round, Percy’s Ruby Snapper can be zhuzhed up even more with half a lobster, a king prawn skewer, razor clams or seasonal oysters as garnish, all served up in a seafood tower. So, bring a friend. Hell, bring four. Bring me, too. — Joey Wong, Editor
Percy’s, 18-18A Shelley Street, Mid-Levels, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2898 2699
Club Rangoon
The drink: Rangoon Club 2.0 (HK$108)
I’m dying to know what the first edition of Club Rangoon’s backwards-front titular cocktail was, because, having welcomed back the return of dinner at the cosy Burmese eatery, I can confidently report back that the Rangoon Club’s second evolution, 2.0, is a delightfully refreshing success.
Labelled as a sustainable cocktail, which also means that the simple, three-ingredient tipple reuses discarded ingredients from the kitchen — in this case, the unused banana peel from the Burmese banana crumble upon the dessert menu — and blends it together turmeric-infused gin met with a splash of ginger beer. It’s at-once sweet with a mild, unmistakable heat, refreshing from the sprig of mint and a light smokiness that lingers on the nose as you sip from the burnt garnish (maybe banana peel?) I forgot to ask about. It’s the perfect summertime refresher from the sloping walk uphill to the restaurant’s Aberdeen Street space. I regretfully didn’t stay for the banana crumble, but I shall upon my next visit back. — Lorria Sahmet, Editor
Club Rangoon, 33 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2503 3077
Kikusui
The drink: Strawberry Milk Liqueur (HK$65)
When it comes to alcoholic beverages, I have the taste buds of a five-year-old. Sweet and mellow only, please. While I can say no to the horrendous hand sanitiser taste with great pleasure, I cannot turn my back against the colour pink, ever. If you’re like me, the strawberry milk liqueur is not only a good choice but also self-explanatory: you get your standard strawberry milk with a veil of bitterness that’s typical of alcohol.
And if you came from this week’s Best Bites, you already know: DON DON DONKI is my source of serotonin. — Michelle Chan, Editor
Available for purchase at any DON DON DONKI location.
Detour
The drink: Cold brew (HK$55)
As a morning person, one of my favourite activities is to search for the best breakfast. Whether it’s a sunny-side-up day or an avocado toast kind of vibe, the one unchanging part of the first meal is coffee. When I stepped into Detour, my first thought (as always) was the iced latte, but the cold brew bottle on the counter caught my eye. It was a long vertical jar with a comical feel, just the pick-me-up I needed. The taste of a darker aroma mixed into a glass of ice cubes woke me up instantly. The initial bitterness lingered with a fruity aftertaste, reminding me how everything in life turns out great eventually. If you’re looking for a beverage to kick start your day — with a dash of life reflection — this is it. — Leanne Lam, Social Media Editor
Detour, G/F, 379 Queen’s Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, +852 3468 3600
(Lead / featured images: Detour / Percy’s)
The post Best Sips: 5 drinks we loved this week appeared first on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong.
