Hong Kong’s bar scene offers every kind of themed venue imaginable, from hidden spots like Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour, concealed behind obscure entrances, to prohibition-era speakeasies like 001. There are bars that transport you to a different time and place, such as Maggie Choo, or even to an underground cistern, like Artifact Bar. Now, Hong Kong bar industry veterans Saan Dhakal, former group beverage creative director of Lockdown and Penicillin, and Ranjeet Khatri, former bar manager of Tell Camellia, invite you to relive infamous court cases at their new Soho bar called Courtroom.
Entering the bar feels like stepping into an old government office, with its dark wood furniture, cozy interior, and wall lamps casting a gentle glow over the 32-seat space. But look closer, and you’ll notice a playful twist on the courtroom theme, with elements inspired by the legal world: framed photos of celebrities with iconic court cases, like Johnny Depp, adorn the walls; a witness stand, complete with a wooden gavel, commands the center of the room; and a Lady Justice sculpture stands prominently as the centerpiece behind the bar.
“The bar’s name, ‘Courtroom,’ already sets up an intriguing contradiction,” states Saan. “When you approach the bar, even from the exterior, it appears serious, with its wooden facade. Our aim was to make it look less like a typical bar from the outside. Yet inside, we introduce a playful twist, serving drinks in a fun, unique way,” he adds. “The monkey in our logo represents the lively and humorous spirit of our staff, bringing a touch of drama and play to the experience.”
The cocktails served here undergo extensive clarification and distillation in their underground lab, equipped with a custom rotovap, centrifuge, and other gadgets used to create innovative drinks. This underground space, featuring booth sofas and tables, also doubles as a quirky hangout for industry professionals, where they are welcome to gather and chat about work and the latest industry innovations. As part of the bar’s ethos, they strive to highlight social sustainability by creating programs that promote well-being in the bar industry. This initiative aims to understand what people need from the places they live and work. According to Saan, people are always talking about sustainability, but here they want to highlight the social aspect of it. It began with a recently held mental health seminar for F&B workers on World Mental Health Day (Thursday, October 10th), which included a special Q&A session facilitated by Positive Wellbeing HK’s licensed counselor, Shirralee Sisson.
Expect a menu of 16 cocktails, each priced at HKD120, ranging from long to short drinks with unexpected flavor notes. The cocktail names are inspired by legal terminology. Some of our favorites include the earthy and floral martini-style The Alimony, made with yellow mustard root-infused gin, earthy beetroot distillate, rose petal, and rosebud vinegar; the savory but refreshing To The Trial, crafted with guava and mango wine, fennel distillate, and clarified citrus; and the milk-punch style Lis Pendens, featuring bold flavors from wasabi rum distillate, balanced by cold brew Thai tea and tonka bean-infused soy milk, with a hint of spice from the strawberry-laced gochujang paste.
Crowd favorites include the creamy Sworn Affidavit, made with butter-infused orange rum, Ratafia Rossi, hazelnut, coffee, and cheese-infused liqueur, as well as the refreshing tequila-based Habeas Corpus, crafted with sugar snap-infused tequila and notes of fenugreek, peach, and mushroom. Another standout is the Show Me the Evidence, also tequila-based, featuring flavors of passion fruit, lemon geranium, and bitter gourd, garnished with a jam-like imitation egg yolk made with salted orange and Campari.
Those watching their sobriety can enjoy mocktails from the menu, priced at HKD 100 per drink. These creative non-alcoholic iterations include a twist on the classic rum and coke: Not Too High made with non-alcoholic amaretto and Lyre’s Amaretti.
The bar also offers bites courtesy of ChullsChick, the Peruvian restaurant located directly across from the venue. They have created special snacks specifically for Courtroom, including fried cheese sticks called tequeños, chicken croquettes with truffle mayo, and guac served with mushroom chips (all priced at HKD98 per order).
Courtroom is open daily from 6pm to 2am. Visit the bar at 52-54 Graham Street, Hong Kong. For more updates, follow them on Instagram at @courtroomhk.
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