Looking for a dark, sexy spot in which to conduct your most insidious business? The Diplomat is Hong Kong’s newest speakeasy, a place for inspired drinks and dark deeds.
At a time when we’re avoiding crowds like the plague – literally – and ditching our usual busy haunts in the name of communal hygiene, a new hideaway has opened at Hong Kong’s H Code complex that promises a more intimate take on your average night out.
The building, which is already home to new-found favourites like Tell Camellia, now plays host to The Diplomat, the first speakeasy concept by award-winning mixologist John Nugent, a native of Seattle best known in Hong Kong for his time at Lily & Bloom.
The new bar’s interiors are as eclectic as its theme – think dark brown leather, tile motifs, custom brass accents and art by the likes of Ryan McGinley and Josh Sperling.
An 18-seat haven for reimagined classic cocktails, brooding interiors and sophisticated bar bites, The Diplomat’s menu takes its inspiration from the experience of influential state leaders, ambassadors and historical figures, from the Pearl, a bold take on the Black Russian, a favourite libation of the late socialite and Ambassador to Luxembourg Perle Reid Mesta, to the Tarling, a pandan-gin-laced reference to a 20th-century creation, itself inspired by a train which once plied the rails between Chicago and New York.
The bar will also offer a range of boutique wines and vintage liquors, rounding off the venue’s historical street cred.
The Diplomat will also serve a pub brasserie menu that includes suckling pig Cubanos, black truffle Mac & Cheese, and Pomme Frites with Espelette pepper.
Because sometimes sin can whet the appetite.
Look out for our first-person review in the coming weeks.
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