The New Afterhours

There are bars, and then there are bars that hit the spot like the ding of the pinball on target, for the derring-do of its drinks, the sheer rightness of the atmosphere, that X factor. Here are three to check out now.

- Charmian Leong

GENUINE CAPER

THE OTHER ROOM

These days, the Prohibition era doesn’t quite call to mind the dark, crime-filled years of a dry 1920s America. Instead, it’s often linked with glamorous hidden bars, with unfathomable menus you need a tiny lamp to peruse.

Superficially, The Other Room is yet another one of such bars. But go through the concealed (of course) door and you’ll see that Dario Knox’s hideout embraces the one bright spark of Prohibition – creativity – in ways that pretenders won’t be bothered with.

Knox, who had hung out at the bar 28 Hongkong Street and restaurant FOC, is like a mad scientist experimenting with flavours. There are over 150 spirits at The Other Room and all of them, stripped of their original bottles and labels and placed in identical vessels, are either cask- or spice-finished for a different take on the familiar. Here, a Diplomatico rum can have additional raisin notes, while a Sipsmith gin surprises with lavender and white pepper. Order some flights to really taste the difference.

The cocktail menu is just as thrilling. Over 30 recipes have been divided into no fewer than eight categories. And the menu is as eager to educate as the loquacious Knox, with each drink accompanied by a short history of the classic that inspired it, alcoholic strength, ingredients and even glass shape. It’s a little overwhelming, so we’ll suggest starting with the 1928. All we’ll say is that it’s a gin-based cocktail.