Hong Kong’s newest cocktail divan, The Daily Tot, features a solid concept that’s backed up by brilliant execution.
For months, punters with a thirst eyed the siding on Hollywood Road with curiosity. A new bar was coming to Central – yes, in this economy! – but as the weeks slipped by, restrictions on dining and bars mounted, and the general malaise of 2020 descended like a wet blanket over the city, those punters turned their attention to more pressing concerns.
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Fortunately, the wait is now over, with The Daily Tot, the city’s official ode to rum, making up for lost time with equal parts elegance and panache – and yes, the results are well worth the wait.
Located at the top of Lyndhurst Terrace where it meets Hollywood, it’s a bold location that’s just steps from Caribbean-inspired joint Rummin’ Tings, which really inspired the rum renaissance in Central, as well as local cocktail icon Quinary. However, The Daily Tot has the legs to stand up to such competition. A refined rum bar that takes a considered step away from the hangover-inducing tiki movement and instead weaves its identity around the origins of rum as well as the 300-year-old British naval tradition of serving grog rations – typically gin on west-bound voyages across the Atlantic, and rum east-bound, to its sailors.
We arrived for lunch; the venue’s owners had the foresight to apply for a restaurant license, which means they were able to navigate the cascade of ever-changing restrictions enforced by a rather panicky government, serving meals with their beverages until 6 pm (and now 9 pm). When my dining companion and I arrived there were already four other guests, all seated on comfortable lounges at the bar’s rear. However, the action is always best at the mahogany and we decided to slip between slivers of transparent plastic and stake a claim at the bar top.
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The first thing you’ll notice at the bar is the extensive rum selection as well as ranks of rum casks, proudly stood to attention as if a testament to the spirit’s intriguing heritage. The bar program at The Daily Tot features 11 signature rum cocktails created by Gerry Olino – formerly of Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour – and Barbadian owner and manager Tiana Ludhani, and the range is well thought out, respectful to the classics while also offering enough innovation to have you coming back again and again. The bar also gets credit for not being too purist, with non-alcohol and non-rum cocktails also making an appearance – I personally can’t stand it when a bar dictates what I should and shouldn’t enjoy (within reason of course) when I’m paying for it.
At the same time, the bar definitely wants you to discover its rums – many of which are sourced from hand-picked distilleries in Barbados and other idyllic locales in the Caribbean – unencumbered by other ingredients. The bar is all about enjoying rum (including the bar’s own label, soon to be released) in its purest form so don’t be shy about ordering a straight flight from the extensive rum menu. While it’s not trying to be the biggest rum collection in the world, the selection of 118 white, dark, spiced, limited-edition and agricole rums is certainly one of the region’s best.
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I went with the recommendation of bartender Jawad “JD” Mir – formerly of Cassio, Ophelia and Ignis – and kicked off with the Caffeinated buttered rum, a heady, palate-soothing blend of butter-washed Black Tears Cuban rum, sous-vide roasted coffee beans, Dead Man’s Fingers coffee, PX sherry, hazelnut oil, and walnut bitters. Dark, dulcet and perfectly balanced, the cocktail revealed the spice and sweetness of the rum, elevating it with nutty undertones to perfection.
My dining companion went with another JD recommendation, a tall, chilled Chiquita, essentially a white rum, banana liqueur, and Lillet Blanc spritzer. I know what you’re thinking but this ingeniously simply libation works, especially given that the sun was still high in the sky and there were expectations waiting back at the office.
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The next round I continued working my way through the bar’s signature creations, this time opting for the Clémence, a drink that takes its name from the coveted Clément Agricole Rhum of Martinique, which JD married with Mancino Rosso, Lazzaroni Maraschino liqueur, Rémy Martin VSOP, bitters, and a touch of lime. The maraschino really shines thanks to a warm yet grassy foundation of rhum agricole and the clean, bitter-sweet lingering lime. In fact, both drinks were perfectly executed by JD, who was happy to chat rare rums and drink trends as he settled into the routines of a new workplace.
While we wait for our meals I take a little look around. In terms of vibe, the bar pulls off a Caribbean feel that’s not too in your face and yet not so subtle that you’d miss it. With pastel walls and rattan furniture, fedoras hung from walls, a long chocolate-hued bartop, leather trunks piled against a far wall, and an internal garden that gives the effect of a window looking out to verdant tropical gardens, the decor was inspired by the Caribbean distilleries that Tiana visited.
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The effect is soothing, with just enough light to make lunch feel sin-free, and the ability to evolve into a dark and sophisticated space after the sun sets. The few seats on the tiled street-front patio are sure to become some of the most coveted in Soho.
I would say the only failings – more a B average than a D minus – would be the food. With so much thought put into decor, concept, and drinks, the menu of snacks seemed a little piped in. We both ordered chicken quesadillas, which were a little limp, and a round of fish tacos and cheese croquettes, which were a daily special. Everything was perfectly edible but with an underlying Latino leaning, the dishes lacked the exotic frisson that would have come from jerk chicken wings, Jamaican beef patties, or bacalaitos cod cakes. Whatever you do order, ensure you douse it with the Barbados hot sauce JD keeps hidden behind the bar. Your taste buds will thank you once they stamp out the flames.
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With great service, a concept with real depth (instead of an idea that doesn’t get past the press release), and obvious passion behind it, we’re sure The Daily Tot will be educating punters on real Caribbean rum for many a year to come.
Note: The author visited as a paying guest without the venue’s prior knowledge
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