Stepping into their second anniversary in November, one of Bangkok’s most stylish cocktail bars, Vogue Lounge, offers a solid reason why you should pay them a revisit: a new barman. Everyone's favorite bartender, Hideyuki Saito, has left Vogue Lounge to open his own joint, Bronx Liquid Parlour, on Thonglor Soi 25, providing a chance for new mixman, Francesco Moretti, to shine in the spotlight.
Moretti is no stranger to Asia's drinking scene. He’s tended the bar in many watering holes, including the famous Bar Rouge in Shanghai where he made his fame with “fire magic" (he really set fire to his drinks). He set foot in Bangkok two years ago to consult with Char Bangkok and Pirate Chambre during their opening periods, and decided to settle in the city. In Bangkok, Moretti begins a new chapter in his life by infusing classic concoctions with local flavors and aromas.
Try Oh Beautiful (B340), one of his signatures, a well-rounded sweet and sour concoction that mixes pineapple skin-infused tequila with house-made pandan syrup, fresh pineapple juice, egg whites, Galliano vanilla syrup and fresh lemon juice. The vaporizer by the bar is not there to merely set the mood. Lemon bitters are placed inside and the scent that is produced is used to wash a pipe-shaped serving glass for a cocktail called This is Not a Pipe (mezcal, white rum, apple juice, amaretto, chocolate bitters and lemon juice, B360). For something a little rough, the Gold Fashioned (B380) plays up a classic drink with a few twists by mixing Chivas Regal Extra with vermouth, cinnamon syrup and liquorice-infused bitters. The drink is served in a carafe smoked with apple wood chips together with a rock glass filled with diamond-shaped ice and a cherry painted with edible gold.
Chef Cyril Cocconi still helms the kitchen. The last quarter of 2016 sees more seafood options like smoked salmon finger sandwiched (B440) and blue crab avocado pancakes (B580). He’s also added sharing meat platters (includes beef, pork and lamb) to the menu.
