Creating innovative brews and modern takes on classic cocktails past, C108 is a new caffeine-driven speakeasy in Central Hong Kong.
Prohibition, the US’s short-lived ban on the sale and production of alcohol back in the 1920s, may have been a pain in the proverbial for those that liked a drink at the end of a long day while also giving rise to significant organised crime, led by the likes of Al Capone. But what we can say, intoxicated by hindsight, is it did kick things up in the cocktail scene, creatively speaking.
Forced to use bootlegged “bathtub” spirits, the origins and ingredients of which were as dubious as a wedding chapel at a strip club, bartenders had to create ever-more complex libations, layering and disguising terrible flavours with more palatable ones. When Prohibition ended, the drinking public had a new appreciation for heady, complex concoctions we now think of as classics.
Paying homage to these timeless recipes is a new cafe and bar concept in Central Hong Kong. The creation of a band of good friends, C108 (the number is their collective age in years) serves great siphon and hand-dripped coffee during the day but it’s after hours that you’ll want to slip into this Mediterranean-themed sanctuary, where the cocktail menu – the creation of experienced bar manager Gurung Prasantraj (Prasant), previously of Barcode – seeks to tell the stories of classic cocktails and their creators.
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Following a mantra of “every sip tells a story”, C108 not only creates timeless cocktails well worthy of your pocket money, but also shows how they continue to evolve with subtle but effective twists. A great example is the Vitamin Sea, a smooth rift on the classic gimlet, said to have been created by esteemed Naval doctor Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette. The story goes that the good doctor combined his daily sailor’s gin ration with his prescribed lime juice, given to all crew to ward off scurvy. C108’s take adds touches of seaweed, pineapple and sesame oil to create an intriguing take on the brininess and subtle fruitiness of the original.
Another interesting chapter is the Pete, the bar’s take on the Bloody Mary, which was created byFrench bartender Fernand “Pete” Petiot at the Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. C108’s interpretation – with a touch of balsamic and a mini mozzarella on the side – is more akin to a cherry tomato and basil salad in a glass, but lacks none of the original’s bold yet alluring complexity.
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Also look out for the Sorcerer’s, a reimagined Negroni. The origins of the Negroni can be traced back to the Italian adventurer and cowboy Count Camillo Negroni, who famously requested that bartender Fosco Scarselli prepare his Americano cocktail – a blend of Campari, sweet vermouth and Seltzer water – with gin replacing the soda water. Drawing inspiration from the rambunctious count, the new bar adds touches of cacao and vanilla to bring out a coffee-like flavour profile.
Of course, these aren’t libations for lightweights so you might want to sample the Patty Melt, a tribute to the original hamburger served with Gruyère melted cheese and sautéed sweet caramelised onions; savoury fried olives served with house blend sriracha sauce; or the hearty salmon bagel, with homemade pickled onions, and peppery arugula.
Because time travel can build up an appetite.
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