Darkside – cocktail bar at Rosewood Hong Kong

Celebrated cocktail & jazz bar introduces new menu of forgotten classic cocktails

March 29th, 2021

Darkside, Rosewood Hong Kong’s sophisticated cocktail parlour with sultry live jazz, boasts an award-winning cocktail list that pays homage to Kowloon’s “Dark Side”. Curated by Director of Bars, Arkadiusz Rybak together with Beverage Manager Simone Rossi, the menu is a celebration of rare aged spirits and classic, time-honoured cocktails updated with innovative techniques. Recently DarkSide have launched their newest cocktail menu of forgotten classics, informed by the traditional flavours and techniques of the libations of an earlier era.

Among the 12 new classic cocktails introduced at DarkSide, highlights include the Martini vs Vesper (HK$160), which mixes the old martini recipe with a more modern martini called the Vesper. The result is a smooth and approachable martini with the additions of Mancino Vermouth Secco and Mancino Vermouth Bianco adding a botanical complexity to the spirit, while the peach bitter and Japanese wakamomo infuses a welcome fruitiness.

DarkSide’s rendition of the Gibson (HK$160) is with Riesling wine, Mancino Vermouth Secco, Mancino Vermouth Bianco, Tio Pepe Sherry, and pure Onion Essence. The earliest known reference to the El Diable cocktail is found in Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink published in 1946, referred to first as the “Mexican” El Diablo. The Diablo (HK$160) is created with Ocho Blanco tequila, crème de cassis, lime, and ginger beer.

Complementing the new cocktails, Darkside have launched a series of cocktail masterclasses led by Arkadiusz Rybak, bringing the very best of cocktail-making to Hong Kong’s cocktail enthusiasts. Masterclasses can be booked for sessions held on Thursdays to Sundays between 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm – with 2-6 guests at a time, each class will have a choice of creating 3 cocktails out of a list of 8, and will be accompanied by a charcuterie and cheese board. Essential mixology tools will be provided during the class – together with a stylish DarkSide apron.