It is not often that you could experience sitting in one of the best bars in the world without flying for thousands of miles, but if you were in Delhi’s Ek Bar recently you could have done just that. Asmita Sarkar catches up with the co-bar captains of 28 Hong Kong Street to find out how they make their magic
The idea of pop-ups is not new in India but what was new about 28 Hong Kong Street’s (28HKS), a Singapore-based hotspot, is that they brought their bar, kitchen and ambient props for the first time to Delhi. So not only could you experience their unique take on mixology but sample their bites and their uber atmospherics while sitting in Delhi.
“As with most international guest shifts that we undertake, we took on this collaboration with Ek Bar because of close personal relationships with the people behind the venue. We’re always open to opportunities for cultural exchange and exposure. We rarely say no to friends as long as our schedules back home allow for our team to travel,” said lukas Kauffman and Charmaine Thio, co-bar captains at 28HKS. Their latest collaborationg was with Ek Bar, a Defence Colony bar with a classic look, which was newly renovated. The young duo has had success in Singapore with their venture, which has become one of the must-visit locations on the list of tourists who want to experience the night life of the city state. However, currently they have no plans to expand outside of Singapore. “Although perhaps we might consider if somewhere in India there exists a quaint street called Hong Kong Street as well,” they said jokingly.
like other mixologists around the world, they too are concerned over inculcating sustainable methods. “Sustainability has been the word on everyone’s lips and that’s something we think is pertinent to everyone working in this industry. One thing we were particularly impressed by is that in Delhi, businesses use as little plastic as possible. If you order food, all of it is wrapped in paper packaging. As Delhi has a population of 20 million people, limiting plastic use does huge favours for the environment. We hope that more F&B venues continue to adopt sustainable long-term practices,” they said.
They mixed some signature cocktails paired with their most popular bar snacks. There was 93 Til Infinity, a twist with Encanto Pisco Grand and Noble (a Peruvian pisco), lemon juice, pineapple cordial and sparkling wine; Czech The Method, coffee, Jameson Original, Shepherd Neame Double Stout, Becherovka (herbal bitters), and burnt malt syrup; The Real Slim Shandy, Ketel One Vodka, AmaroNonino (grappa), Marie BizardPeche Du Verger (a peach-based liquer), lime juice, ginger honey and Hoegaarden; and Fernet about Dre, Fernet Branca (a bitter Italian amaro), Bacardi Black Rum, Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao, simple syrup and orange bitters. Each cocktail featured garnishes with a flourish and balanced ingredients that were all house-made.
It is not easy to maintain high-level standards in a cut-throat industry, where everyone is looking for the next new trend and trying to one-up each other. For the Singapore-based bar, which was named among one of the world’s 50 best bars in 2017, there acclaim can be attributed to their unique brand of service and hospitality, and the team that delivers it. “Most of the work that goes into maintaining standards goes into staff training and welfare. We have training sessions every week where we cover anything from bar, floor, kitchen SOPs, spirits and cocktail knowledge, bartending techniques, cooking techniques etc, to ensure that our team members are equipped with the tools they need to grow and succeed in this industry,” they said.
They also make efforts to make sure that senior members take ownership over maintaining foundations, reinforcing the essential pillars that make 28HKS unique but also passing them down to every new team member to ensure consistency and continuity.