For any cocktail or spirit enthusiast, Singapore’s 28 HongKong Street is well-known. Ranked among Asia’s Best 50 Bars, the atmospheric speakeasy bar is known for its out-of-the-world cocktails, laid-back vibe and more. To the delight of Calcuttans, Little Bit Sober on 60 Chowringhee Road that opened last year, collaborated with the Singapore brand for a one-day pop-up. t2 caught up with the super talented Tamaryn Cooper, head bartender, and Danial Bin Kamaru Zaman, bartender, of 28 HongKong Street to catch up for a quick chat. Excerpts.
What is the signature cocktail of 28 HongKong Street and what inspired its creation?
We’d like to think that all our curated cocktails on the menu are our signatures. All the drinks have been carefully created and designed for months prior to being on the menu, therefore we are proud to say all the cocktails are signatures.
Can you recommend a unique or exclusive drink that is specific to Singapore or 28 HongKong Street?
Obviously Singapore itself is well known for the Singapore Sling, a classic fruity cocktail well-loved by many travellers visiting Singapore.
How do you source or select the ingredients for your cocktails, and do you focus on local flavours?
As an American neighbourhood-inspired bar, we like to utilise local products and use them in a way that can still pay homage to classic American cocktails.
Are there any particular trends or innovations in mixology that you’ve incorporated into your creations?
As a team, we try not to ride on current trends and instead try to focus on utilising the suitable techniques needed to produce the product we want to showcase.
Talking about trends, what is the global trend right now in the world of mixology?
These last few years centrifuge and Rotovap cocktails have been in trend and clarified drinks especially. But it’s slowly phasing out now and we see a rise of simplicity growing in the cocktail scene. A resurgence of classics and classics reinvented.
Can you suggest a cocktail that would pair well with the local cuisine available in Singapore and Calcutta/India?
A simple London Dry Martini. The food is already so complex and full of flavour that the perfect pairing would simply complement the dish and not overpower or overshadow the dish. If you’re feeling frisky, add a little bit of olive brine to make it dirty.
Which was the most challenging or complex cocktail to prepare on the menu here?
Our cocktail that we specifically curated for the shift, 'Wow, Grape'. This was not a complex cocktail at all. A very simple drink inspired by the sbagliato. But the difficult aspect was fielding the ingredients to make the drink. Such as fresh green grapes and sweet pomegranate. The fresh ingredients in Singapore will of course be different in taste to that in Calcutta.
Can you share a story or memorable experience related to crafting a particular cocktail?
I crafted an espresso martini variation during my time when I worked in Bangkok. It was during the period when espresso martinis were suddenly back in trend. I spent a month experimenting with many variations and making slight changes to the drink till I was somewhat happy with it. To this day I’m still sick of espresso martinis due to drinking them every day for a month.
Are there any secrets or techniques you use to enhance the flavours in your cocktails?
Not at all. There is no secret to making a “good” cocktail. Taste in general is subjective.
Finally, how will you sum up the pop-up event at LBS?
It was a very energetic and lively evening. We got to meet so many new faces and make so many new friends. The team at LBS was such a great support and we look forward to a future collaboration.
