Much anticipated opening of progressive cocktail bar in Hong Kong.
August 30th, 2017
Cocktail aficionados in Hong Kong have an enticing new destination with the recent opening of The Old Man, a new speakeasy-style bar that takes its name from the famous novel- The Old man and The Sea by legendary author – and renowned bon vivant – Ernest Hemingway. Combining progressive mixology with historical references and Asian-influenced ingredients, The Old Man promises exciting new cocktail experiences for discerning cocktail enthusiasts. Decorated with a classicly elegant aesthetic, the compact wood-paneled interior comfortably seats 25 guests. Established by a partnership of highly regarded local bar industry professionals, the bar is conveniently located along Aberdeen Road, in the SoHo neighborhood of Central.
The Old Man is the creation of three veterans of Hong Kong’s bar scene. These long-term friends had the ambition to open their own bar for a long time, and now their concept has been brought to life in the form of The Old Man. James Tamang has worked in the city for a decade and has plied his trade at the Mira and Renaissance Hotels, while Roman Ghale is known for his work at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. It was here that he met the third partner – Agung Prabowo, who is one of the most highly respected mixologists in Hong Kong – previously heading up the bar programs at both the acclaimed Lobster Bar at the Island Shangri La, and more recently at the iconic Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
The cocktail list created by Prabowo is inspired both by Hemingway’s personal preferences, and the flavours of Cuba where he lived for many years. Each of the signature Hemingway-themed cocktails is named after a novel and aims to capture the spirit of his respective works. ‘The Snows of Kilimanjaro’ for example, includes marshmallow gin, lacto-fermented raspberry, and gruyere; while ‘A Farewell to Arms’ (a book set in Italy during World War Two) consists of butter fat-washed gin, dry Vermouth sous-vide nori, and salted Pernod served with onion pearl and nori dust. All cocktails at The Old Man are priced at a very approachable HK$90 +tax.
The Old Man opens from 5 pm until 2 am daily, except Sundays.
Featured contributor: Max Sergeant
Images credit The Old Man
