If austere, hipper-than-thou bars are your thing, Taste Buds Cocktail Palace is not for you. Even the name seems a little bizarre, maybe even Chinglish-y, with the eclectic interior almost affirming the weirdness of this place.
Whoever designed it must have already had a healthy dose of laoban Daniel An’s cocktails – it’s a circus-like affair of clashing colors and velvet textures, and looks like a place you’d be more likely to get your palm read than drink craft cocktails.
Some people won’t care for it, but we love it; purely for the fact that it’s a fun, refreshing change from the serious, urban factory aesthetic that prevails through Shanghai’s trendier establishments.
Manning the bar is Daniel An, a gifted young mixologist formerly of 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana and Starling, who finally makes this bar his fledgling solo outing.
An’s easy manner behind the bar puts his staff at ease; they laugh and joke with customers, and seem to be having a genuinely good time. Order from the extensive cocktail menu, or ask one of them to make you something off the cuff.
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We started with a Persian Julab (RMB88), fruity, sweet and tart with a strong undercurrent of rum. Exactly the kind of drink that lulls you into a false sense of ‘this isn’t that strong,’ then BAM you’re drunk.
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Other, more serious libations such as The Tail (RMB88) are a stiff, manly alternative to drinking straight liquor. In almost anyone else’s hands this rye-heavy drink would be overbearing, but when An makes it, it’s somehow sweet and balanced with more than a little vibe of a traditional Godfather cocktail.
Just about everything on the menu is a cheeky, fun and well-priced affair. An lets his imagination run unfettered by formality, with each drink more playful and creative than the last. Damned if he’s not a showman as well as a barman – An’s dexterity as a mixologist provides more than a decent dose of entertainment.
Whether it's right up your street or too kitsch for your liking, Taste Buds really is a Cocktail Palace. Don’t come here for formal, grownup drinks or serious conversations, but do if you’re rolling with the squad and out to have a good time.
Price: drinks from RMB88
Who’s going: young locals and expats
Good for: craft cocktails, good times, debauchery
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