Tucked on the 23rd floor of the Hilton Shenzhen Futian, past a Sichuan-style restaurant where diners are serenaded by guzheng, sits Mr. Wong.
The single floor, two-story space features illuminated shelves stretching to the ceiling behind the bar and wide, cozy furniture that doesn’t take itself too seriously in an area large enough to toss a baseball.
Floor-to-ceiling windows allow a view of the city as mixologist Sasha Osta whips up his creative libations.
So invested in cocktails is Osta that he describes them as having a soul, each being unique in time and space, with the bartender’s steady hand the main ingredient. (“You were there. That moment. The first and last time,” reads a photo he sends over WeChat, a maxim about the ephemeral nature of mixed drinks.)
Most popular are the oldie-but-goody Long Island iced tea and mojito (both RMB78 plus 15 percent service charge), but, if you ask, Osta has something much more fascinating up his sleeve: the coffee-based three ace (RMB128), a mix of Jack Daniels, blueberry liquor and a cup of espresso. It’s served in a margarita glass that arrives at your table set in a bowl of burning Chinese herbs and coffee beans. The presentation is as intense as the first sip, which reveals a competition of flavors backed by a coffee kick.
Toning it down a bit is the Mr. Wong on a vacation (RMB128), which is based mainly around freshly squeezed orange juice, Grey Goose and a liberal dose of mango syrup. It arrives on a bamboo platter with seashells, a smattering of sand-simulating brown sugar and a huge shrimp nested on the glass’s rim.
Newly opened and relatively undiscovered, Mr. Wong’s is a good place to go for window-side seating and a quiet tipple. Those looking for a bit more action can head there after 9.30pm Thursday to Saturday when a professional singer takes the stage.
Price: RMB128
Who’s going: creative cocktail aficionados
Good for: wide windows, comfortable seating
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