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Macau’s bartending scene has evolved rapidly in recent years and we should all applaud it, with young bartenders pushing the boundaries behind the bar, unleashing creativity, applying lab-grade technology and incorporating the latest global trends.
Nevertheless, reaching the top level of the industry in the region – Asia’s 50 Best BarsThe competition, which aims to showcase “the best and most innovative talent in the region’s drinks industry”, is no easy feat. Competition is fierce in Asian cities from Singapore to Seoul. Macau has not had a bar in the top 50 since 2018.
That changed last month when the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2024 was announced in Hong Kong. St. Regis Bar It was impressively ranked 22nd and won the award for “Best Bar in Macau”.
Taiwanese natives Kevin Lai is the driving force behind the St. Regis Bar. Lai takes over at the end of 2022, having previously honed his skills in Taipei, Beijing and Guangzhou. In less than two years, the bartender has successfully curated his own range of handcrafted cocktails – and that’s what caught the expert eye of the judging panel.
“Receiving this recognition is an incredible honor and a testament to the hard work and creativity of our entire team,” says the cocktail guru. However, this achievement also brings a new sense of responsibility: “It’s still a little surreal, but now that The St. Regis Bar is the benchmark for excellence, we need to strive to do even better.”
Macau’s Cocktail Mecca
The St. Regis Bar offers a unique cocktail journey to Macau, with its Art Deco style, soft lighting and wood panelled interiors that exude the glamour of New York’s Golden Age. Reflecting the glitz and glamour of the Astor family, who founded the St. Regis brand in New York in the early 20th century, the bar has become a gathering place for the city’s sophisticated crowd to sip fine wines while enjoying live jazz music from the bar’s renowned resident pianist, Aaron Lo.
In typical St. Regis style, Lai blends his creativity with hospitality. “While mixology is my passion, for me, it’s not just about making cocktails, it’s about how the cocktails I make connect people,” he shared.
To keep his creative passion alive, Lai travels the world. He says much of the inspiration for his new drinks comes from everyday experiences in faraway places. When it comes to the cocktail menu, though, he keeps the uniqueness of the St. Regis brand front and center. That means looking to the Astor family and Big Apple legends for guidance. But you’ll find plenty of Macau flair in the St. Regis glass, too.
Take the Garnet Sour, for example. It’s Lai’s take on the New York Sour and one of his personal favorites. Where the original calls for dry red wine (which gives it that scarlet streak on top of the more traditional whiskey sour), Lai uses Portugal’s beloved export of the same name: port. It’s an obvious nod to Macau’s multicultural heritage, but also to New York, where a wave of Portuguese immigrants arrived in the 1940s, and the drink gets its sour flavor from lemon and aloe vera juice, which pairs perfectly with the subtle sweetness of fig leaves.
There’s also the Macau Egg Tart, an Instagram-worthy dessert. Made with dark rum, it’s infused with caramel and milk and topped with a cookie. The drink is a clear nod to the ubiquitous desserts of Macau. In addition to the signature cocktails (and nearly every classic off-menu), Lai is always happy to test his mixology skills and create custom drinks. “I’ll make the cocktails that the guests want,” he enthuses. Behind the counter, there’s little he can’t do.
Leader
Having The St. Regis Bar included in the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list has made Lai a spokesperson for Macau’s bartenders. In fact, he says he is “ready to take the lead” – to lead the bar community as it evolves together. With this in mind, Lai is committed to continuing his bar this The Art of Bartending A series of events where distinguished guest bartenders from all over Asia come to Macau to bring their skills and creativity.
Following the Asia’s 50 Best awards ceremony, Lai has designed six new cocktails that will be launched in the coming months. The cocktails lean towards New York style, inspired by Lai’s recent visit to the city that never sleeps. There’s the Island cocktail, named after the pier along the Hudson River, which mixes rum, fatty coconut oil and cinnamon. Then there’s the Times Square cocktail, which mixes lavender gin distilled at the bar, butterscotch liqueur and blueberries for a hint of tartness.
There are six offers to look forward to at this pioneering bar, whose mission is to cement Hong Kong SAR’s position in Asia’s exciting and diverse alcohol market.
Legal Notice:
Excessive drinking is harmful to health | Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages is harmful to health | Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages is harmful to health
The sale or supply of alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 is prohibited
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