The Place
Chase White (founder-owner of OFTB 反调 alcohol brand and all-round industry legend) has opened his first independently owned cocktail and coffee bar, Bar Blanc on Julu Lu.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Currently in the process of a rebrand from Shimmer, Blanc, meaning ‘white’ in French (that just so happens to be Chase’s last name), represents the idea of restrained simplicity – the ethos of his nine-cocktail, monthly-rotating menu.
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Don’t expect to find rotovap infusions or molecular gastronomy garnishes; instead, the menu centers around the concept of 'five or less' – keeping only necessary ingredients that maintain a balanced sip, rooted in the classics.
What does this all mean to you as the customer?
Craft cocktail quality, served up with a twist, in under a minute flat.
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No more waiting half an hour for your next drink while your buzz dwindles; prepare to be – and remain – equally inebriated and intrigued from the moment you walk through the door.
The Drinks
The menu is really an opportunity for this seasoned barman to flex his mixologist muscles, and in the world of cocktail artistry, White is a bodybuilder.
Having been a player in the industry since 2013, White cut his teeth at Experimental Cocktail Club in NYC, followed by three Michelin-starred Saison in San Francisco, then Mace and Attaboy – two of the highest ranked bars in the USA – back in New York, before jumping back over the pond to China in 2017.
Sticky Hands (RMB88) fig leaf, lime, rum, sticky rice wine. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Once in China, White ran Beverly (above Le Baron) in its heyday, then consulted for Gaga Group, before becoming the Bar Director at Ensue in Shenzen.
Finally, he opened a cocktail joint – DIY – in June 2020 in Shenzhen. About a year ago, he made the move back to good ol' Shanghai and the idea for Bar Blanc was born.
With such an impressive CV of accoladed venues under his belt, it’s about time he set sail on his own, sharing his cocktail expertise with the Paris of the East, allowing it to speak for itself, in verses of sips, slurps, and sculls.
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The lineup is arranged from lightest to heaviest, affording cocktail nerds and noobs alike guidance, while removing the confusion around highly curated ingredient lists that can seem a foreign language for those outside of the industry.
Chalk-full of ingenious creations, the menu is still approachable, stripping away the pressure for customers in an unfamiliar situation.
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Easing into the night, the Fluffy Apple (RMB88) spotlights freshly juiced apple à la minute – yes, the sparsely decorated barback does in fact give up a decent percentage of real estate to a juicer (used only for this drink – that’s how popular it is).
Said juiced apple is shaken with white vermouth, verjus (made from grape juice extract), génépi (an herbal French liqueur reminiscent of delicate chamomile tea) and garnished with a shiso leaf.
Delivering on the namesake fluffy front, the result is agreeably crisp, like – well – exactly what it is: a pleasantly boozy fresh-pressed juice.
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Derived from both Nordic flavors and the Danish word for cozy, comfort and contentment, the definitive ingredient of the Hygge (RMB88) is – unpredictably – yogurt.
The curd lends both acidity from the lactic acid, as well as a silky mouthfeel to round out the gin, cucumber and dill.
Like toppings on a salmon smørrebrød, a sprinkling of sea salt – in this case smoked with Laphroaig scotch – adds depth, pulling out all five tastes in one glorious gulp.
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A cocktail that has remained on the menu since (nearly) day one, Tomato on Vacation (RMB88) is tom yum soup meets a pina colada – White’s unexpected answer to his ever popular of cocktail.
And, if ordering a pina colada around the world meant receiving a frosty glass of this particular rendition, it might just become our favorite cocktail of all time too.
The key elements of a pina colada – pineapple and coconut – come through in the first sip, but are quickly tempered by Thai basil, cherry tomato and a nip of chili, the resulting savory sour split making it all the more crushable.
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The lovechild of a Manhattan and a Negroni, the Film Noir (RMB88) sees mezcal, cacao-infused vermouth, Campari and sticky rice pu-er tea come together in the booziest blend on the current menu.
Like a number of the other selections, White pre-batches all of the sous vide-added flavors, so drinks tick the boxes in the complexity and showmanship category without the wait between ordering and receiving.
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A step up from your standard warm cocktails – mulled wine, hot toddy, buttered rum and the like – the Popstar (RMB88) owes its gravity to popcorn butter, melted over the top of this clarified milk punch.
A mix of rum, scotch, spiced apple and earl gray tea, coupled with the aforementioned butter, are like being hit by an aromatic waft of just-torn warm croissant, a scent we wish we could capture and candle.
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Unfiltered Chongming Island honey is caramelized by sticking a hot coal directly into the jar for the Gold Rush (RMB88), culminating in a lingering smokiness against a bourbon backbone.
At once treacly and tart, a gasp of lemon goes a long way.
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Aside from the nine hit wonder of cocktails and wine listed out, White regularly shakes up a smattering of off-menu sippers, especially for regulars.
Do note, there’s currently no food, sans dry snacks like chips and nuts.
The Vibe
The goal after the impending refurbishment (set for March) is that this neighborhood cocktail bar will become an industry hangout, staying open late, long past the witching hour.
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At the end of the day, Bar Blanc is not trying to be the next upscale cocktail lounge with the flashiest garnishes, most ostentatious décor and clientele to match.
Rather, the crux is its approachability and honesty of concept; a place where guests can enjoy an unpretentious pre- or post-dinner libation that’s guaranteed to deliver on what we all want out of any cocktail: a delicious drink.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Price: RMB88 per cocktail
Who’s Going: Cocktail nerds and noobs, the Julu Lu neighborhood crowd, F&B industry folk
Good For: Friendly catchups, cocktail exploration sans pressure, pre- and post- dinner libations
Bar Blanc, 542 Julu Lu, by Shanxi Nan Lu, 巨鹿路542号, 近陕西南路
Read more Shanghai Bar Reviews.
[Cover image by Sophie Steiner/That's]
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