Mikropolis

Dog on a leash

Gimme Gimme Gimme

Notes:
Mikkeller & Friends is getting too crowded for you? Or maybe just too turquoise? You're in the mood for a cocktail? Maybe a beer? Something alcoholic to sip on? Head to Mikropolis, the latest Mikkeller offspring! Mikropolis is Mikkeller's attempt at a casual (yet ambitious) cocktail bar. We visited on the bar's second opening day where customers were few and the atmosphere relaxed. B opted for a beer (they have around 15 on tap if I remember correctly and an extensive bottle list), while I jumped straight to the cocktails. First up a Dog on a leash featuring Mikkeller's White Dog, an un-aged whisky, citrus, egg white and freshly grated raw licorice as the final touch. Excellent cocktail (so excellent that I will forgive the use of licorice, which is excessively overused. Marketeers will put it in anything edible at these latitudes). Second up, Gimme Gimme Gimme, another sour. This one featured Del Maguey mezcal, which provided a nice backdrop for other ingredients including cinnamon and Dry Curacao. The cocktails are reasonably priced at 75-85dkk, in other words competitive prices in a Copenhagen context where cocktails easily can set you back 120dkk. Go now, before the presumably upcoming hipster invasion!

Mikropolis
Vendersgade 22
1363 Copenhagen K

Soul Food Mahanakorn

Cocktails! Rainy season feat. gin, Pernod, triple sec and lime and Sukhumvit Bitters feat. Campari, Southern Comfort, dark rum, sweet vermouth, and tangerine juice. 

Yam Som-o (salad of pomelo, prawn, shallots, lime and chili) and Som Tam (green papaya salad).

Chili-roasted seabass and plenty of cilantro.

Isaan and Chiang Mai sausages served with vegetables, pork cracklings, peanuts, and chili dip.

Soul Food Mahanakorn
56/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Soi Thong Lor)
Thong Lor, Bangkok

Notes:
Discretely located at the beginning of the Thong Lor Soi, Soul Food Mahakana represents a little oasis of modern Thai food amidst the street kitchens, Japanese eateries and bars otherwise dominating the area. The place is very popular, particularly among foreigners, so as B and I entered at 8pm on a Friday night we were given the last seats in the bar - perfect! We started off with cocktails, both excellent, innovative and recommendable. Generally the cocktail list boasts plenty of Thai-inspired ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime and the local "whisky" Mekhong (which is in fact a rum!), providing plenty of decent pairings to the Thai food.

As to the food, Soul Food practices the concept of sharing plates so we ordered four dishes to share between the two of us. To put it shortly, the food was good, though not mind-blowing. While B wasn't too much of a fan, I very much enjoyed the very meaty Isaan and Chang Mai sausages with all the delicate condiments and crispy vegetables. The som tam was however a bit of a letdown as it was much to rustic for my taste, though it was very fine taste-wise. The two other dishes were both tasty and fiery as both had been fed a healthy dose of chili. Lovely.

All in all, we spent a really enjoyable evening at Soul Food. The prices are more than reasonable so for a casual night out for some light food and great cocktails, the place is highly recommendable.

The Strand Hotel

Pegu Club.

Cocktail menu.

Strand Sour.

The Strand Hotel

92 Strand Road

Yangon

Notes:

The bar at Strand Hotel is pretty much the perfect escape from bustle of Yangon's streets. Situated in the epicenter of the city's colonial architectural area, the hotel itself is a prime example hereof being categorized as one of South East Asia's grand heritage hotels, alongside Raffles in Singapore and The Metropole in Hanoi. The bar itself is classy decorated with dark wood, marble floor and high ceilings. And the cocktail menu is equally classic. Due to the Pegu Club's Yangon roots it was an obvious choice, which turned out to also be a good choice, as it was  fresh and well-balanced (though I was puzzled how it was served over ice). So was my other cocktail, though also intended to; the Strand Sour is made with Myanmar rum as the main character, which provided a smooth backdrop to a comforting and refreshing cocktail. Including taxes a cocktail will set you back 8 USD, and while it will buy you many delicious meals in the alleys of Yangon, it is also a relatively low-cost alternative if you, like me, wanted a quiet and cosy escape for postcard writing. Highly recommended.

Moltkes Bar

The Officer - Arette Blanco tequila, Lillet Blanc, Chartreuse Jaune, lemon juice, and Laphroaig 10 years.

21st Century

Moltkes Bar
Dronningens Tværgade 2
1302 Copenhagen K

Notes:
It was a spring-y Friday night when B and I popped into Moltkes Bar for the first time. The location is slightly off the beaten path (well, not really... but personally I never get around this part of town by coincidence), situated right next to Michelin-starred AOC inside Moltkes Palæ (they translate palæ into palace on their website - not how sure that translation is, though it certainly gives out a mondane vibe once you enter the building). The bar brands itself as being a speakeasy, which is fitting in many ways... though they could dim the lights just a tad, if you ask me. 

What B and I had initially found enticing about the place is their old school cocktail menu. But once we were there I actually felt more like having a 21st Century than its predecessor, the 20th. The bartender responded quite baffled and was not exactly accommodating to my request - much to my surprise, it's a new classic after all. In the end, after a bit of explanatory action and smartphoning he managed to mix it for me. B went with one of their own classics. He was pleased, but certainly not blown away - just the way I felt about my drink. In the end, we left the bar feeling a bit indifferent. I found the ambience a bit too cold, the lights to stark, and something seemed to be lacking in terms of providing a solid speakeasy experience. I will not reject that I will return in the future, but I honestly think Copenhagen boasts a lot of other different cocktail bars to be explored.

Barburrito

Cobs of corn with cilantro cream, grated cheese and lime.

2 x margaritas - chili and regular, respectively.

Ceviche of unidentified white fish, mango, tomato, chili, red onion, cucumber - and too much lime.

Burrito with confit pork.

Taco selection.

Barburrito
Skindergade 36
1159 Copenhagen K

Notes:
On a Tuesday in late March B took me by surprise and invited me out for a Mexican-themed evening. First stop was Barburrito, a new restaurant and one of the few in Copenhagen seeking to serve more authentic Mexican food - with a contemporary edge. The clientele is quite young and so was our server this evening. He was very enthusiastic, sometimes  bordering dictating in his efforts to up-sell. In the end we decided on a broad selection from the menu as well as cocktails, and most of the food we had was certainly very tasty - especially our corn cobs and the taco selection were memorable, while the ceviche featured too much lime and certainly did not feel very fresh, and the burrito was very average. The lack of coordination also shone through, service being extremely slow at times failing to match the pace of the kitchen, which was a shame. All in all, a fine experience though I feel fairly sure that we will not return to Barburrito any time soon.

Duck and Cover

Cachaca cocktail and Rob Roy - photography by Mr. Islay and Bitters

Duck and Cover
Dannebrogsgade 6
1660 Copenhagen V

Notes:
Before finishing the posts about our recent Vienna trip, a quick recommendation for Copenhagen's newest cocktail bar! Rumors had spread around town, that previous Ruby bartender and 2012 Diageo World Class Reserve participant Kasper Riewe Henriksen was to open his own place soon. After a Friday afternoon and evening that had already featured free cocktails at Juul's Vinhandel, decent Chinese fare at Magasasa (sandwiched at a little table between two elderly Chinese ladies and Tal R + Evren Tekinoktay), a short but sweet Lana del Rey concert in Tap1, and sub-par tiki drinks at Brassmonkey we were really not short of experiences - but the night was still young and B thought we should just pass to see if they had opened. Luckily for us, it turned out to be the opening night, and seeing no active PR effort has been made so far, the place was far from filled, leaving us plenty of space and time to talk with the skilled people behind the bar, which by the way stocked delicacies like Tanqueray Malacca and Beefeater Crown Jewel. Not that gin is the main focal point of the bar - at a recent tequila/mezcal event at The Barking Dog, B and I had fallen into talks with a previous Ruby bartender, where we learned how Kasper has been working extensively with cachaca. Therefore B chose to go with a simple cachaca cocktail, where I instead went with a classic Rob Roy. Both tasty and well-crafted, and clocking in at CPH average price for cocktails at 100dkk each. As mentioned, the place is brand new - we could still smell the granite-colored paint - but nothing else about the bar screams "new". The place is tastefully decorated using influence from Danish 50's-60's style. Beautiful space, skilled bartenders, and very possibly a new favorite in the making. Highly recommended.

Dino's American Bar

Bartender (gin, dry sherry, sweet vermout, dry vermouth and a spritz of Grand Marnier) and Kalinichia (gin, dry vermouth, dry sherry and oloroso sherry) - and tacky barsnacks aplenty.

Dino's American Bar
Salzgries 19
1010 Vienna, Austria

Vienna might be one of the most tradition-bound, conservative, bordering anachronistic cities that I have visited in recent times. And browsing the city's bar scene it quickly became evident that the cocktail culture also reflects a history of post-WW2 (American) occupation, hosting a number of "American bars", Dino's being one of them. While the website might look extremely dusty, B and I were however intruigued by the cocktail menu, the length of novel, and seeing the bar was located right in our neighborhood, we decided to drop in a for a pre-dinner drink one night. What strikes you as you when you enter is how extremely underlit the place is (this does not include Dino's only I should mention - entire Vienna seems to be making an effort to keep the lights off in some sort of strange CSR effort or maybe it's just a cultural norm?), which certainly what I had also expected given our initial impression from the place's online presence. Further, the place was empty when we entered at 6:15 pm - perfect, more attention for us! In spite of the massive selection we were however quick to decide on a theme (sherry, if you had not guessed), and we received to completely unfancy but very tasty drinks. Thereafter I moved on to an Affinity (scotch, dry sherry, port, and Angostura bitters), while B went with Dino's sour-ier (bourbon, green Chartreuse, lime, and sugar). Again, well-crafted and tasty, but nothing mindblowing.

The story follows the night after, a Sunday Easter evening, were we had initially planned to try The Loft, Sofitel Stephansdom's panorama bar, which turned out to be characterized by gorgeous views of Vienna but also a terribly snooty host. We therefore decided to head back to Dino's, this time finding the place half-full with both young folks and more mature ones (all seemed to be ordering fruit cocktails, though). This time we sat in the bar, and quickly fell into dialogue with the bartender, who started us out with two classics, a Sazerac and Penicillin (Ardbeg-ified to my smoke-loving palate). Thereafter, I asked for something featuring chocolate liqueur (Austria is the land of Mozard liqueur after all) and was then served the most bizarre, yet mindblowingly tasty cocktail that I to date have savoured. Imagine blue cheese and chocolate in one drink... Yes, that's what I had. Roquefort vodka, chocolate-infused Zacapa (both homemade), a bit more vodka, sugar syrup, dry vermouth, and a tad lemon juice. According to our bartender, the two flavours of chocolate and blue cheese affect the same area of the tongue, meaning they cannot be tasted separately, in turn creating a puzzling, new and undefinable taste. From there, the inventive cocktails kept coming... A Shogun featuring vodka, syrup, lime, ginger, wasabi, and cucumber - the latter, which I detest in cocktails, but thoroughly enjoyed in this context. B had an Asian take on Bloody Mary (which I think I drank most of, in spite of my Bloody Mary aversion) featuring lots of spices and a great amount of lemongrass. B even had his amaro fix with a Manhattan featuring Fernet. All in all, two gorgeous visits to Dino's, which proved that their cocktail capabilities range from the classic to the crazy. It was so refreshing to see a bar that takes all cocktails equally seriously, from Flying Kangaroos to Artegronis. Highly recommended.

Le Lion - Bar de Paris

Blood & Sand feat. Laphroig 10-year single malt, Carpano Antica Formula and Guignolet de Dijon black cherry liqueur.

Tanqueray Malacca martini with olives on the side.

Trident (aquavit, Cynar and dry sherry) and 20th Century.

Prof. Langnickel (PX Sherry, Guignolet de Dijon, and Morand Kirschbrand) and charcuteri étagère

Le Lion - Bar de Paris
Rathausstraße 3
Altstadt, Hamburg

Notes:
B is a bit of cocktail geek, and when I had announced that I was planning to go to Hamburg for thesis field studies, he was quick to tag along - and make a reservation for us at Le Lion. The bar, which is placed centrally in Hamburg, is regarded as among the most progressive in Europe, headed by Jörg Meyer. Once you enter the bar you however get the impression that this is a classic bar in every sense with lush interiors, old school tunes, and golden hues aplenty. I started off with a Le Lion classic, their twist on (my favorite cocktail) Blood & Sand, here made with 10-year Laphroig. A good drink for sure, and while I am a huge fan of smokey foods and beverages - generally, thing that scratches a bit in my mouth - I felt that the drink did not perfectly manage to tie together the initial smoky taste with the deep, sweet ending. B on the other hand was happy to get to try the limited edition Tanqueray Malacca. He was not overwhelmed (really, while we might be drinking a lot of cocktails, we are by no means experts) but did enjoy it very much and was happy to get to try it - and further I loved the presentation. Next up for me was another classic, 20th century, which turned out to be a pleasant experience. B was a bit more adventurous and asked for something featuring amaro, the result being a Trident including equal parts aquavit, Cynar and dry sherry, leaving me with a very pleased man.

By now the place was getting crowded (with a very mature clientele, inhaling large amounts of G&Ts), and as we had previously heard of a closed section upstairs we kindly asked whether there would be any room for us. Apparently we had not misbehaved so far and were quickly escorted into an elevator taking us a few floors up. By then I had gotten slightly hungry (or at least my tipsy brain was telling me so), so we ordered some snacks, and received a beautiful étagère of pork in different forms (cured and salami - the dried kind this time) and brie de Meaux, which perfectly hit the spot. I once again returned to the menu for inspiration and opted for Prof. Langnickel, featuring Pedro Ximenez sherry, Guignolet and cherry brandy - very indulgent and obviously very sweet, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. B went with a classic, a Manhattan made with Noah's Mill and Carpano, and was again very pleased.

We had a gorgeous experience at Le Lion. Perfectly crafted cocktails, attentive and very knowledgable service and an inclusive and cosy atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Note - Søren Krogh Sørensen has previously worked at Le Lion (and PDT in NYC for that matter) and exercises his cocktail magic in Ourselves Alone in Copenhagen - do make sure to pay him a visit (and if you're feeling adventurous, ask for a Dillinger - you will not regret it!)

Gilt

Pencillin, Rabarberklubben and something featuring a great amount of Averna.

Gilt
Rantzausgade 39
2200 Copenhagen N 

Notes:
After our dinner at FuWa we decided to head on for a drink or two and as Gilt is right down the road it was an easy decision to go there. We entered at 10pm where the place was semi-full and left us plenty of space and peace for quiet conversation. All cocktails from the menu are priced competitively at 75dkk, whereof many are "new nordic" takes on classic cocktails. For instance we had a take on Clover Club featuring rhubarb and gooseberries, which was a lovely and more tart interpretation of the classic drink. On request we also had the creative bartender make us a round of cocktails off the menu. They were all great, but do watch out - they turned out to be some pricy encounters, and we were charged +100 each for the cocktails. All in all, we did however very much enjoy the cocktails at Gilt. The cocktail menu is among the most innovative in the menu and the tenders are both kind and knowing. Recommended.

L'Étoile

Pencillin feat. a generous amount of Ardbeg

Negroni (B's favorite cocktail!) feat. Bols Genever and Carpano Antica Formula

L'Étoile
Galleri K
Kristen Bernikows Gade
1105 Copenhagen K
Thu 8pm-1am, Fri-Sat 8pm-3am

Notes:
On one of the last Friday nights before Christmas the Copenhagen bar scene can really show its ugly face. Unfortunately this Friday also turned out to be my 25th birthday, and all I really wanted was to be able to have an after dinner drink in somewhat tranquil surrounding. Many bars do not take reservations on such busy days - but L'Étoile does! So B and I made a reservation for 11pm and were seated in the bar, and were quickly served a glass of water and nuts to snack on. This is part of the L'Étoile concept - their prices are certainly in the higher end but they then strive to provide the customer a superior service. The cocktail menu is very classic featuring drinks like Bramble, Margarita and Alexander. After a quick chat with our very professional tender we ended up with a Negroni with Bols Genever for B and a Pencillin for me including a healthy dose of smoky Ardbeg, with which we were both very pleased. Prices are in the 120DKK range, thus in the very expensive end of the spectrum. For this night L'Étoile was a perfect choice for us, and we will be happy to return in the near future. Highly recommended.

Lidkoeb

Lidkoeb
Vesterbrogade 72B
1620 Copenhagen V
Open Tue-Sat 16-02, Sun 18-00

Notes:
B and I visited Lidkoeb on the official opening night after a stop at one of Juul's cocktail sessions, this time featuring Ourselves Alone. Only the day before I had via Spiseliv found out that the guys behind Ruby were expanding (though we later discovered the bar had been years in the making) and since we had a late dinner reservation we decided to pop in for a cocktail as it was literally just down the street. The bar is found in an old (and apparently protected) three story house in a Vesterbro backyard and except for a few randomly placed lanterns not much was suggesting that this house was in fact hosting a cocktail bar. As soon as we opened the door we were however greeted by a warm light, cosy atmosphere and the very friendly and engaged staff. Though the cocktail menu offers a great variety, among others the Ruby classic the Rapscallion, we decided to engage in conversation with our bar tender and thus ended up with something not on the menu. A smoky Rob Roy for me, for B probably something with Campari. I remember that he liked it. In fact we were so satisfied with our cocktails and the great ambience we decided to stay around for a second round. No need to say, we will certainly return to Lidkoeb very soon. At prices in the range of 90-100dkk per drink it is even fairly price competitive for the Copenhagen cocktail scene and just a tad cheaper than its sister Ruby. Highly recommended.

Linguini Fini

Bread basket 

Stracetti di Manzo - arugula, slices of rare beef, artichokes, gorgonzola, and anchovy aïoli.

Caesar salad and fried calamari.

Fried pork brain, lardo, crisp sage, and lemon aïoli.

Pig's heart Milanese with arugula, tomato, and lemon.

Linguini Fini

G/F, The L Place

139 Queen's Road

Central, Hong Kong

Notes:

Linguini Fini is a. B and I had read about it online and were intrigued by their interesting food combinations. To start off with we however had a few drinks as the place has a 1+1 deal until 7pm. B went with a Negroni, I had a tacky glass of prosecco. As to the food, we stayed in the antipasti arena all night, and were not disappointed. Among the standouts there was the Stracetto di Manzo was incredibly tasty, filled with umami and yumminess. The calamari were fresh and crisp, just like they are supposed to be. And the fried pork brain with lardo was a really interesting dish, and while the brain itself did not taste like much in itself, it was nicely accompanied by the crisp sage and lemon aïoli. On the other hand, I had really looked forward to the pig's heart Milanese but the breading was way to overpowering, and did not provide the taste of heart, which I had expected. The place also provide a reasonably price wine list, were many can be bought by caraffe rather than bottle. Recommended.

Angel's Share

Apple martini feat. whisky.

Angel's Share
2/F, Amber Lodge
23 Hollywood Road
Central, Hong Kong

Notes:
Like almost any reputable, Japanese whisky bar would, Angel's Share is not located at street level but rather on the first floor. The bar serves a limited number of drinks, all featuring whisky, as whisky really is the main specialty here and the main attraction of the bar. We went here for a late night drink and both opted for cocktails. I had a whiskey-take on an apple martini, while B went with a pencillin of which he wasn't the greatest fan (too little Laphroigh I reckon, classic mistake). Cocktails here are expensive by Hong Kong standards but the atmosphere lovely - a great place to bring a date.

Flamme

Manhattan and Passionate Englishman.

A Paul Matthew creation, Campari Alexander

Dry martinis with the most fantastic blue cheese-stuffed olives.

Homemade chips with blue cheese dip.

Salad with smoked salmon.

Omelet, sausages and fruit salad.

Eggs benedict with béarnaise sauce.

Flamme
S4-33, San Li Tun Village
19 San Li Tun Lu
Chaoyang, Beijing

Notes:
A favorite of B and I in Beijing. Flamme is theoretically a steak house but it really is so much more than a steak house. On our first visit we randomly stumbled in to find that their happy hour deal is pretty extraordinary (50% off until 7:30pm every day, meaning most cocktails cost around 30rmb) and their head bartender Paul Matthew is doing an excellent job behind the bar. The cocktail menu is frequently updated and further, he is happy to freestyle. Aside from cocktails, Flamme serves delicious food. Everything from bar food to breakfast items, very reasonably price even. Make sure to stop by if you are ever in Beijing. Paul is around on Tuesdays and Fridays. Highly recommended.

Sunday Bar and Grill

Facade - Placed right behind the Focus mall, next to Holiday Inn, in Wangjing.

Bar atmosphere feat. old black/white movies.

Mint julep and cocktail, of which the name I forgot, featuring whiskey, amaretto and grand marnier.

Sunday Bar & Grill
Room 101, Tower C
Fang Heng Guo Ji
Futong Dong Dajie
Wangjing, Chaoyang

Notes:
This bar was B and I's local cocktail hang-out, which we only found as you could spot it from our stairway. During our time in Beijing we lived in the Wangjing area, also known as Beijing's Korea town and tech cluster, which Sunday's crowd also reflects. The bar is mainly frequented by white-collar workers enjoying post-work drinks. The bar itself is a Japanese style bar, specialized in single malts. The cocktail menu is classic and the generally don't freestyle or take requests. That does not matter much as the cocktail list is very extensive and the drinks are well-crafted. Cocktails are priced at 60-70 yuan, which I consider very fair. Highly recommended.

Misc. Tokyo Eats and Drinks

Ramen in Shibuya.

Pickles, karaage and biru in an Akasaka izakaya.

Yakitori of all sorts in Akasaka izakaya.

Yakitori, umeshu and biru in 400yen izakaya in Roppongi.

Octopus and fried smelt in a Shinjuku izakaya.

Tamagoyaki in a Ginza izakaya.

Late night tempura snacking in a Shinjuku izakaya.

Bento dinner in a Shinjuku izakaya. 

Omu rice in a Shibuya izakaya.

Noodle okonomiyaki in Shibuya.

Soup and salad from a lunch set in a Shibuya café.

Pasta gratin from a lunch set in a Shibuya café.

Steak salad and baked risotto from a Shibuya café.

Breakfast set with croissant with actual butter (a rarity in China) in an Omotesando bakery.

Coffee break with brownie in Rose Bakery in Dover Street Market.

B and a green tea soft serve. 

Mandatory cocktails in the New York Bar in Park Hyatt. Bland, overpriced and tacky cocktails. Who serves a negroni in a martini glass?

Japanese food road kill.