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2019-07-16
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The child's in India and it's the hubster and I here. That means doing what we haven't in the past couple of years - hitting the bars. First up is Please Don't Tell located in Mandarin Oriental.I will tell, though.The husband was in charge of finding a place to bring in twelve years of being married. When the husband had called them for reservations, they'd mentioned that we could walk in.When I got there around 19:15, the lady at the counter of the MO Bar told me that there was a long wait, aft
I will tell, though.
The husband was in charge of finding a place to bring in twelve years of being married. When the husband had called them for reservations, they'd mentioned that we could walk in.
When I got there around 19:15, the lady at the counter of the MO Bar told me that there was a long wait, after asking if we had reservations.
I wasn't sure at that point about the husband's telephonic conversation earlier. So, I asked her if she could put my name down on the waiting list. To which, she said, "Only if you sit and have a drink here."
Honest to God, I made sure I heard that right by repeating that information to her. She nodded, and I said, I'll pass and wait for the husband.
The husband arrived, and got us sat there at the MO Bar. I informed the husband that this wasn't Please Don't Tell, knowing well that he wasn't aware. He was surprised. I filled him on my conversation with the hostess.
Before the server came to get our orders, the husband told me about his telephonic conversation. And I told him that I'd bring it up, if I were you. Funnily enough, two minutes into sitting and just placing our orders, the hostess tells the server that space has opened up at Please Don't Tell who then comes in and informs us.
Hmm!? So a few minutes back, she told me it's going to be a long wait and that five other groups are waiting, refusing to put me on the waiting list unless I have a drink there.
Right before / along me, she sent six people up. Six! Was she lying before? Did she not like my face? Did my husband work his charm?
We get up there to sit in a small cozy room. It's a collaboration with New York's PDT. Offering creative cocktails by mixologists Jim Meehan, Jeff Bell and their talented bar team led by Adam Schmidt.
The calmest, composed and collected bartender I've seen - Adam Schmidt. He reigned the bar like a boss, and I was mighty impressed with his style - stirring and shaking mine and the hubster's cocktails at the same time. Now I know why they charged so much.
The husband ordered the Big Fan - Ocho Blanco tequila, lime juice, pink peppercorn, guava puree, Moonzen Fuijan Radler. Spicy shandy garnish, aromatic pomelo fan alluding to the Mandarin's iconic eleven point logo. This was perfect.
For me, he ordered the fancier Hakushu Haiku - which included Hakushu Distiller's Reserve Japanese Whisky, Sanshu mirin, orange bitters, shiso, pomelo and kinome.
This was HKD 308. The steepest priced drink I've had. And paying those prices, I'd want perfection. But that ice cube in my drink wasn't. It wasn't as clear, and it had the folds on top which looked like the end where it was clung by plastic.
The kinome leaf added a nice kick to it, and I believe the other herbs and citrus use are restrained, just to bring about the aromatics of the whisky out further.
My beef other than that not-so-perfect ice cube - after Adam Schmidt expertly timed and crafted these two cocktails for us, he assumed and placed the tequila drink for me and the whisky drink for the husband.
Oh, 21st century and still them cliches!
We ordered waffle fries and impossible sliders, one of which we asked them to veganize. The fries were good, the vegan slider could've done with some sauces. It was too dry.
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