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New Opening: Is Atelier the Sexiest Bar in Shanghai?

2018-03-20 Claire L. Squire ShanghaiWOWeng


Tastebuds has a new sister venue Atelier, which is less of a sister and more of a grown-up cousin. Or a cool chic aunt. I walked into this bar and immediately knew I wanted to either be this bar, date this bar or just rub up against the surfaces of this bar. I really like this bar. It's really freakin' sexy.

 


Daniel An seems to have golden fingertips when it comes to creating cool concepts that work. Atelier, with all its dark leather, golden glimmering whiskey and plush velvet, made me feel like I was being seduced by Christian Grey with a cocktail in his hand... and considerably less whipping.

 


It’s the vibe… The atmosphere… I can’t explain it. But since pictures are worth a thousand words, have a gander at these.



Sexy AF.


Oh… but then they go and do this…

 


If you want to look at the cocktail menu, you need to risk setting fire to your date or, if you’re like me a blowtorch novice, your eyebrows. So why take the risk? Because you need to burn the menu to reveal the drinks; the menu then fogs back up again when it gets cold. I don’t like this. It means you have to call over the bartender, get them to set fire to the menu so you don’t get second-degree burns, then really hastily choose a drink before the menu disappears into the abyss. I dislike.


But then, our hastily chosen drinks arrived…

 


Cooorrrrr…. WOW and BLIMEY, it was worth second degree burns to get a hold of these bad boys. First up was the simply-named Berry (RMB 85) It's a nice change to have a berry flavored drink that is refreshing rather than overly sweet. With its vermouth undertones that give it the cheekiness of a martini without the firm slap on the back from the vodka, Berry from Atelier hits the spot. It's the perfect refreshing drink for spring. 

 


Despite my strong distaste for chocolate-flavored drinks and truffle, I have to admit…their Truffle Chocolate cocktail (RMB 90) WAS DELICIOUS. So much so, that I went into immediate raptures, so my colleague grabbed it and took a HUGE sip, it nearly blew her head off... She’d never even tried whiskey before. This cocktail tastes like the naughtiest of Christmas chocolates. It's completely decadent. It's a whiskey-based drink with truffle honey and chocolatey undertones. The truffle compliments the whiskey without being overpowered by it, whilst the chocolate leaves a sweetness on your tongue… That is, unless you’ve never tried whiskey before, in which case you sputter into your water glass for 2-3 minutes after your first sip.


And then, more hastily-ordered drinks arrived… and my tasting notes began to slip… But we have pictures worth 1000 words!


Bitter Smokey RMB 100


Mmmmm Smokey.


Aperol Spritz RMB 40


Tastes like a deliciously refreshing spritz. I like the politely-sized glasses, and the fancy garnish that comes with them. (The huge glasses at Funkadeli give me an arm ache.) 


And then, the food came…

 


Spicy beef tartar (RMB 68) with crispy cups made of Parmigiano… YES PLEASE. Like little balls of raw beefy heaven, it perfectly complemented by the little crispy cup, which also made them super easy to eat. 


Editors Note: Great snack for a date night, limits the potential for embarrassing spillage.

 


If you’re looking for a heavier bite, then you CANNOT beat this roast chicken dish. It's probably my favorite thing on the entire menu, although I wouldn't recommend ordering it on a date night as you will 100% want to gnaw every single bit of meat off of the bone. It’s juicy and tender, with a spicy tom yum-flavored coating. Squeeze the lime over the top for an added kick of flavor, although the dish doesn’t need it (but I freakin’ love lime, so...). The gravy on the side was a little redundant as the chicken was SO juicy, but it was still delicious.

 


If you’re looking to really push the boat out go mad and order the Wagu steak. It will set you back a whopping RMB 458, but my god does it deserve the price tag. It’s the perfect balance of tenderness with fattiness for flavor. The simple dressings of salt and whole grain mustard compliment the natural flavor of the beef without overpowering it. And the veggies on the side freshen up the dish.


All in all, I love love loved Atelier so much that I think it should be everyone’s top pick for date night. If you can’t seduce your partner, have no fear. The bar will do it for you. It’s so sexy that it makes me… Well…Hum... it’s good. You guys should check it out.


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