We Spent an Evening at 'The Dark Room'
Did you know that there's an amazing bar space on the second floor of The Press? Yeah, neither did we. Although it's always open, the floor is almost tragically under-utilized. A pop-up event that recently took place there, however, might just be the start to fixing that problem...
The Press by Inno Coffee, the Instagrammable newspaper office-turned-cafe, is well-known for its beautiful vintage architecture. If you venture upstairs beyond the cozy loft area, you'll find a spacious atrium with herringbone tile floors, a full bar and ample lounge seating. The space even has some speakeasy vibes with a hidden exit through the kitchen.
THE CONCEPT
Last Thursday, March 8th, we were invited to a cocktail pop-up hosted by Logan Brouse and Gene Shen at a mysterious location called 'The Dark Room' (just a word of advice: when Logan Brouse invites you to something, you do not hesitate). Having never heard of this place, we were immediately intrigued and keen to explore.
Gene Shen, who does a lot of work in the Shanghai F&B industry as Chairman of a venture consulting firm, has been a Press customer for a long time and was getting tired of seeing the space empty. He decided to approach Brouse, owner of the cocktail bar Logan’s Punch, and together they devised a pop-up cocktail event.
THE DRINKS
Cocktails were courtesy of Spirits Box. Founded by Hannah Keirl and Laura Thomason, Spirits Box is a boutique distributor of Australian spirits that focuses on artisanal brands made with natural Australian botanicals, organic grains and sustainable production practices.
“I really like their gins and we wanted to do something new and fresh with them,” Brouse told us. Indeed, their West Winds Gins and The Grove Rums are unlike anything we’d tasted before.
Keirl’s frosty Nitro-Colada welcomed guests to the party...
This whimsical drink looked like a magic potion - a swirling, misty concoction of The Grove coconut rum, pineapple juice and liquid nitrogen.
The classic Vesper (RMB 80) made with West Winds Sabre gin went down smoothly.
Bolstered by the success of the event, Shen says he would be open to expanding the concept to host more pop-ups at other underused or undiscovered venues around the city. And who knows - the event may even spark The Press to refine their ideas for the space.
The Dark Room might be gone for now, but we wouldn't be surprised to see it (or something similar) return to the space soon. For now the second floor is always available to customers, who can come anytime for coffee.
The Press
Address: 309 Hankou Lu, near Middle Shandong Lu
Hours: Daily 10:00am - 9:00pm
Tel: 021 5169 0777
Photo credit: Wishstudio
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