FU LU SHOU

Living in Hong Kong is never short of surprises. Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to a media preview for FU LU SHOU, a new bar-slash-resto perched on a hidden Hollywood Road balcony.After locating 31 Hollywood Road (opposite the Soho escalator), and one old-school lift, we arrived to Fu Lu Shou – which despite being in soft-opening phase – got more than respectably busy during the evening.Apart from its local-inspired drinks (like the rum-based Typhoon No.8 cocktail) and fairly traditional Cantonese fare, Fu Lu Shou‘s main pulls are its cosy balcony and fantastic street-art mural.Canto touches are everywhere, and we dig it! So, get ready as we dig into my favourites of the evening…JOH SUN: What better name for this spicy punch of a cocktail, than Joh Sun, which means ‘good morning’. With tropical notes of ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime, lemon and chilli, this vodka-based concoction is the stuff of dreams.Next was a series of entrees, all of which charmed us bloggers and writers. In particular, the giant siu mai – which is exactly what it sounds like. The texture and flavours were more intense and delicate than a regular sized dumpling, and we were glad – because this nuclear-looking monstrosity had the potential of falling flat. It didn’t 🙂

Next, we lept into their honey-covered deep fried shrimp. Great combination: simple, sweet and succulent. And a nice change from the stereotypical sweet-and-sour sauce combo.We’ll skip over the main dishes that were sampled, because in our opinion they still need some fine-tuning with intensity of flavouring (fair enough, for a soft-opening phase!), but we will share the awesome deep fried tofu with you.

Every tofu-lover’s fantasy, this perfect bar snack combines the soft and bland, with crispy bursts of garlic, chili and herbs. Encased in a deep fried shell? Bring it on!!!!!!

Bakker x

HK’s Best Secret Drinks – Part 2: Blue Butcher

WELCOME to part 2 of a special BBITES series  where I’ll take you through three different bars in Hong Kong featuring secret drinks that are off-menu.

Part 1 was about the place you didn’t know yet: BARSMITH

 Part 2 is about a bar you do know: the bar of popular restaurant Blue Butcher

 AND

 Part 3 will be an EPIC SURPRISE

So without further ado, here comes Part 2…

Over the past couple of years Blue Butcher has sunken its teeth into the Central dining scene, and many menu items (think Apple Pie Moonshine and the Bone Marrow) have  garnered a lot of fans – I know I’m one!So when I asked what was off-menu when it came to drinks, a quick answer was at hand: the Basil Smash cocktail. I’m a sucker for herbs so I immediately thought: bring it on.As its name suggests, basil is the superstar ingredient of this refreshing and chic cocktail. I mean, look how cool those basil leaves look, poking out from the glass?!And the gorgeous green colour? Well that comes from… you guessed it… smashed basil leaves which are run through a titillating combination of vodka, gin, lemon juice, gomme syrup (sweet and smooth) and orange bitters.Now I’m a bit biased because not only do I love herbs, I love citrus flavours too, so this drink was the perfect fit: hitting the palate with an almost spicy zing of basil freshness, and following with a discreet sweet and sour medley. All over a single large ice cube… classy.So, the next time you swing by Blue Butcher, and you’re craving something that will cut through the heavy food with style, just remember this post and ask for a Basil Smash.

Yum.

Bakker x

HK’s Best Secret Drinks – Part 1: BARSMITH

WELCOME to a special BBITES series 🙂 I’m going to be taking you through three different bars in Hong Kong featuring secret drinks that are off-menu.

Part 1 is about the place you don’t know yet: BARSMITH

Part 2 will be about a bar you do know, featuring off-menu treats

AND

Part 3 will be an EPIC SURPRISE

So get ready to ‘get in the know’ and sip it up, Bakker’s Bites style…

Barsmith is located at 4/F, 60 Wellington Street, Central.

I first went to Barsmith with some friends, and while the bar is still in its soft-opening phase, I can’t help but share with all of you how AWESOME this bar is.

A little bit hidden, Barsmith is the perfect place to escape LKF while being in the heart of the action.The concept behind Barsmith is that while there’s a menu, the emphasis is on building a relationship with the bartenders who will create drinks based on your personality and preferences.When I arrived for my tasting I was guided through two amazing cocktails prepared by mixologist Miyake Ayako from Japan.

Asking for something a bit on the fresh and sweet side, Ayako suggested a Japanese peach-based cocktail, since it was in season. I asked what would be in the drink, and she basically said, “Leave it to me.” And, boy am I glad I did!The first thing Ayako did was whip out a blender and start to purée fresh Japanese peach. Things were off to a good start.Next came the selection of different liqueurs and ingredients, and I watched patiently while she put together a combination of peach creams, celery bitters, whiskey and sea salt.The balance was incredible. A smooth, smoothie-like texture caressed the palate while the whisky was cut by sweet peach. Meanwhile, in case things got a little too sugary, sea salt added the perfect sobering note.

Impressed, I wondered what to order next and asked Ayako to ‘surprise me’. As we chatted a little, I learned that the Japanese jeans brand Evisu was downstairs and had some kind of affiliation with the bar re: its owner/investors or something along those lines.

With that in mind, she declared the next drink would be called “The Evisu” and decided to finish things up with a dessert-inspired cocktail.As you can see from the ingredients, this drink was all decadence. The highlight for me was sampling the Benedictine liqueur which tasted like honey syrup: pretty much a nectar for the gods.Resulting in a tiramisu-esque concoction, the rich texture and creative flavours were unlike anything I’d tried before: and that’s the point.

Creating custom, unique cocktails with their customers is why I’m so excited about Barsmith.

While other bars do this occasionally (and usually with much persuasion), Barsmith specialises in tailored drinks: my kind of heaven.So are you ready to enjoy? I know I am…

Thanks for reading, and  stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 😉 !

Bakker x