Top 3 worst alcoholic drinks that will completely derail your diet

Whether it’s been a long week at work, or you’re heading to a long-overdue catch-up with friends, it’s all too easy to find yourself heading to a hopping nightspot and ordering your favourite cocktail. But beware. Many seemingly innocent tipples could actually be disastrous for your waistline and overall health. Here are the top 3 worst alcoholic drinks that will derail your diet in one glass.

Margarita – Up to 400 calories per drink

Delicious this tropical tequila-based tipple may be, but it’s one of the worst alcoholic drinks to imbibe for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s a calorie bomb, and can contain up to 400 calories each, depending on how it’s been made. Just two of these will put you well over half your daily calorie intake. What’s more, salt, which often lines the rim of these tasty drinks, causes swelling and bloating. If you’re really craving one, skip the seasoning use only using tequila, triple sec and lime juice – that way you only rack up about 153 calories.

White Russian – Up to 500 calories per drink

A White Russian may seem innocuous, but it’s one of the worst alcoholic drinks to indulge in. It can be made in any number of ways, but is typically served with coffee liqueur Kahlua, vodka and milk or heavy cream. Filled with unhealthy saturated fats from the dairy products, along with a heavy dose of sugar courtesy of the Kahlua, each one can add up to 500 calories to your waistline, roughly the same as one McDonald’s Big Mac. If you’re looking to keep trim, look elsewhere.

Piña Colada – Up to 600 calories per drink

While it may be the perfect poolside pick-me-up, the coconut-and-pineapple-flavoured piña colada can pack in up to 600 calories per drink – roughly equal to two slices of pizza. Also, don’t be fooled by its fruity flavour, it actually offers little in the way of healthy nutrients. In other words, it’s sweet, filling and absolutely rubbish for your diet. Give this one a miss.

Top tip: When drinking alcoholic spirits like whisky or vodka, opt to go neat, get it on the rocks or add a splash of soda. Avoid any cocktails with fruit juices or overly sweet liqueurs.

McSorley’s Brewhouse & Grill brings a bit of Irish charm at Elements

Irish brewery chain McSorley’s Brewhouse & Grill opened its latest venue at the rooftop of Elements mall recently, bringing a slice of Celtic charm to the Kowloon side.

Spread over two floors with a deliberate industrial decor, the restobar is casual and laidback, while being appealingly reminiscent of classic Irish pub vibes of no-frills-attached good booze and hearty food. A date-night venue this is not, instead, but if you’re looking for a place to hang out with friends after work, while maybe catching a game on the big screen, McSorley’s Brewhouse & Grill is just the place for you. While there, you could do far worse than grab a bite from the food menu that’s designed to go perfectly with a pint of beer.

On the opening night, guests got a taste of what’s going to be on offer at the gastropub. Check out the video here:

For reservations at McSorley’s Brewhouse & Grill, click here.

Try your hand at winemaking at the Ultimate Barossa Wine Experience

Winemaking in the lap of luxury at The Ultimate Barossa Wine Experience…

Australian wine industry continues its ‘hurray’ moment with yet another specially curated wine experience, designed to draw in the more discerning of oenophiles from all corners of the world. Yes, we’re talking about The Ultimate Barossa Wine Experience, a one-of-a-kind, luxurious wine journey into the heart of one of South Australia’s famous wine-producing regions, Barossa.

Offering the best of what the wine region has to offer, the seven-day package includes luxury accommodation in a boutique hotel, all meals, transport and even a helicopter tour of the vineyards. The highlight, however, is a winemaking session with Andrew Quin, the chief winemaker of the renowned Hentley Farm. Guests can experiment with grape varieties, vintages, blends to come up with their own unique wines, complete with a personalised label. All this for a mere price of HK$1.9 million. It’s a deal, we say!

The Bonhams Whisky Sale returns to Hong Kong with liquid gems from across the globe

Good news for whisky connoisseurs! The annual Bonhams Whisky Sale is taking place in Hong Kong on 17 August. Daniel Lam, Head of Fine Wine and Whisky in Hong Kong, says: “[This] is a wonderful opportunity to acquire the finest of Japanese whiskies and some of the most sought-after names in Scotch whisky such as Macallan, Port Ellen and Ardbeg.” A rare first edition of Yamazaki 50 years-old leads the Bonhams Whisky Sale. We round up some of the highlights from the sale:

A Yamazaki 50 years-old, estimated at HK$1,800,000-2,400,000, which was matured in casks made from Japanese oak before being released in 2005. Only 50 bottles have ever been produced, making it one of the scarcest of Japanese whiskies.

A bottle of Hibiki-Arita 35 years-old, estimated at HK$100,000-140,000, which was produced to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Japan’s traditional porcelain production. Only 150 bottles were ever released.

Karuizawa Sumo Trio distilled in 1981, 1982 and 1983, estimated at HK$90,000-120,000, which were framed in a crafted humidor designed by Japanese woodblock illustrator Hachisuka Kuniaki. Only 340 sets were ever produced.

A bottle of 37 years-old Macallan Fine & Rare 1937, the second-oldest whisky from the Macallan Fine & Rare Series, estimated to fetch HK$ 260,000-320,000.

A vertical collection of annual releases from Port Ellen, an extremely sought-after lost distillery from Scotland. 17 bottles – from 2001 to 2017 – will be auctioned off for an estimated price of HK$280,000-360,000.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Colourful cuisine with Veuve Clicquot and Aqua and Armani/Aqua

Veuve Clicquot, together with Aqua and Armani/Aqua, promises to make your life very colourful this summer. Throughout August, the champagne brand and the restaurants are offering a vibrant gourmet experience, imagined through the colours of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

Talking about the gastronomical experiment, Chef Alberto Hernández says, “Colours stimulate the senses and enliven the palate. The three dishes that we have created are designed to captivate the eye and excite the taste buds, with a unique feature of inspiring gourmets to add their own artistic touch.”

The first course is a tribute to the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. Chef Hernández pairs this iconic champagne with Japanese oyster and scallop ceviche, complete with a bold saffron cream to create a dramatic effect and complement the rich yellow colour palette of the Yellow Label bottle.

The second course – a slow-cooked Norwegian salmon, with king prawns and caviar – is even more striking and pairs well with the ripe flavours of the Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old.

The most attractive dish is, however, the dessert – an Amarena cloud cheesecake framed with pink rainbow sauces that goes perfectly with Veuve Clicquot’s Champagne Rosé.

The PR blurb for the event sums it up in a catchy way – “Life tastes better in colour!” Well, we don’t know if life will taste better in colour, but your Instagram handle definitely will!

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Give wings to gastronomic fantasies at Popinjays, The Murray’s new rooftop restaurant

The Murray has added yet another feather to its cap with the opening of Popinjays – a rooftop restobar.

Intrigued by the quirky name that’s been borrowed from the parrots in the neighbouring Garden Road, we decided to check out this hotspot that everybody’s been talking about, and, honestly, it looked quite promising from the word go!

Clearly meant to attract crowds throughout the day and well into the night, Popinjays is a truly versatile space, easily serving as a brunch spot in the morning, a lounge in the evening and a fine-dining venue at night, all perfectly synced to the changing colours of the sky whose unrestricted views one can enjoy, through the glass pavilion and outside on the wraparound terrace. Located atop the 25th-storey hotel, Popinjays easily commands the most Instagrammable views of Central. We’d personally recommend visiting the restaurant a bit before dusk, just in time to see Hong Kong’s skyline lighting up with neon lights from the surrounding skyscrapers.

Suitably satiated with the view, we turned our attention to the cocktail selection, which, in keeping with the general bird-inspired theme, was titled The Aviary Collection. We particularly liked the fruity, fragrant flavours of the Amazon Sour (HK$130) and the Flight of Fancy (HK$130), but those looking for something stronger can go for Popinjays Punch (HK$130) or Cockatoo on the Rocks (HK$130).

With the cocktails setting a pleasant tone for the evening, Popinjays’ dinner menu had a lot to live up to, and, oh boy, it sure did! Specially curated by Head Chef Didier Quennouelle, Popinjays’ speciality is French fine-dining with typical French savoir faire. The two appetisers, a textured salad of Tomatoes and Philibon Melon (HK$220) and a thinly-sliced veal starter called Vitello Tonnato (HK$260) were both light and easy on the palate, but it was the main course of Roast Vendée Pigeon (HK$650) that was the show-stealer. Tender and succulent, we recommend ordering it medium-rare to enjoy its full flavours.

Of the dessert selection, the Caramelized Golden Apple Cheese Cake (HK$130) stood out for getting the right balance between crunchy and smooth. Not too sweet on the palate, it’s also recommended for those who don’t have a strong sweet tooth.

With its perfect fusion of cosmopolitan cuisine and breathtaking views, it wouldn’t be a flight of fancy to say that Popinjays has truly enriched the restaurants and bars scene in our beloved city!

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Summer Cocktails: Stories behind the summer’s most spirited concoctions

With the mercury soaring to new heights in Hong Kong, the city’s bars have chosen an array of summer cocktails as weapons of choice to beat the heat…

At the heart this summer cocktail movement is Duddell’s, an institution seen as Central’s cultural and social hub. Perhaps somewhat boldly, it has put its new Harmony cocktail range – a selection of drinks inspired by Eastern mysticism – at the front of its bid to build the cocktail constituency. Curated by resident mixologist Masumi Tomioka and award-winning bar specialist James Barker, each cocktail in the Harmony series blends nature with art.

The bar’s cocktail menu is neatly divided into four seasonal sections, with each said to “explore Japanese spirituality and draw inspiration from natural imagery and proverbs”. It’s probably safe to say that several libations played a part in its creation.

Designed to please a variety of palates, Fuubutsu-shi is the section that evokes the spirit of summer. It is a process that seems heavily reliant on haiku-esque drink designations, including the somewhat gnostic First Reeds Sprout (HK$160) and the more prosaic Frogs Start Singing (HK$160). The true star here, though, is the Warm Winds Blow (HK$160), a blend of Kamm & Sons Ginseng Spirit, Islay single-malt whisky, turmeric, vanilla, Indian tonic and pink grapefruit. I think we can all agree just which warm wind is likely to blow after two or three of these.

Another forerunner in the summer cocktail carnival is Angel’s Share, one of the Hollywood Road’s most welcoming drinkeries. Its seasonal specials are all elegant variations on the highball, that most classic of cocktail styles.

Among the most popular highball creations credited to head barman Lok Cheung is the Monochrome (HK$118), a classic blend of Johnnie Walker Black Label and homemade smoked malt soda. Another seasonal favourite, the Lavender Cooler (HK$118), also features Johnnie Walker Black Label, this time paired with lavender cordial, ginger ale, Singha soda water, lemon bitters and a garnish of lavender and gooseberry.

Returning more to the fantasy realm, Quinary – the Central-set nightspot recently recognised as one of the world’s 50 best bars – turned to Peter Pan, a classic of children’s literature, as the inspiration for its summer cocktails themed ‘Finding Neverland’, all of which were dreamed up by Samuel Kwok, the bar’s resident mixologist.

For summer 2018, his most popular creation has proved to be the Cool Lagoon (HK$130), a deceptively potent cocktail of Italicus, Iron Balls gin, Thai basil, Pavan grape liqueur, kaffir lime, cucumber bitters and pickled jalapeno syrup. While it’s not guaranteed to transport you to a land where boys never grow up, chances are enough of them will.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Four DIY cocktail recipes to quench your summer thirst

Summer time’s meant for cocktails, whether it’s at a bar or at home. So we have for you a few DIY cocktail recipes guaranteed to ‘wow’ your guests at the next soiree.

The Bibi

Place the vodka, halved peeled lemons, agave syrup and ice in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a glass and top with your favourite syrup like hibiscus, beetroot, ginger, orange or honey. You can also add fresh herbs such as rosemary, lavender or basil or fresh fruit like raspberries, cherries, passion fruit, etc.

The Glace

Infuse tea in one litre of boiling water and then cool it completely. Now pour the cold tea into a jug and add vodka. Add 30cl of ice cubes. If you like your tea sweet, add sugar as well. Top it off with a few hand-crushed mint leaves before serving.

Famille Sour

Take 50ml Camus XO Borderies cognac, 20ml Grand Marnier, some pineapple juice and fresh lemon juice. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and then shake and double-strain. Pour in a rock glass and garnish with dried grapefruit.

Black Storm

In a highball glass filled with ice cubes, add 2oz of Gun’s Bell and top with 4oz of ginger beer or ginger ale. Garnish with lime wedges and enjoy!

Macallan unveils new Speyside distillery and launches Edition No.4 in HK

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Scottish whisky maker The Macallan recently celebrated the opening of its new Speyside distillery with an exclusive, multi-sensory tasting experience at ArtisTree. Over 500 whisky enthusiasts and industry insiders were invited to experience a 3D tour of the new facility, allowing them to experience its innovative and contemporary architecture first-hand.

Moreover, the brand’s creative director, Ken Grier, personally flew in to launch an exclusive new tipple, The Macallan Edition No.4, at the two-day event, making Hong Kong the very first APAC region to be able to indulge in this latest whisky expression.