By Betty Richardson
Full disclosure: Shrine, a new speakeasy by local superstar mixologist Daniel An, is a place that we were fully expecting to hate. We've kind of had it with the whole themed bar thing, and the sound of a Catholic confessional room speakeasy had all the appeal of a naked walk of atonement along the Bund. Oh we of little faith...
To get into Shrine, first you'll need to walk through the United Valley in the shadow of Changle and Shaanxi Lu, past the handful of little bars, restaurants and shops in this newly-opened complex, and through a bar called Factory. Step into a claustrophobic little 'confessional room' and place your hand on the 'Bible' situated on a ledge to confess your sins. Lo and behold, the door slides open.
Luckily the Catholic themes end there. Inside is free from ironic Jesus figurines and saintly cocktail names, and the décor inside feels more like a cozy bunker than a shrine. In fact, for the usually flamboyant Daniel An, most of the drinks are pared down compared to the unbridled extravagance of his first bar, Taste Buds Cocktail Palace.
We might even say we like them better. Arguably, Shrine's most immaculate concoction is the Shrine No.7 (RMB88) a rare example of 'green juice' that you can drink without wincing afterwards. A crisp balance of vodka, green apple, lemon juice and housemade cucumber soda, this drink is for anyone whose pet peeve is overly sweet cocktails.
Other high notes included the Shrine No.8 (RMB88) a warm-flavored and nutty dessert drink made with kafir lime leaf-infused blended Scotch, egg white and lemon juice, topped with caramelized macadamia nuts. Not something you can drink all night, but that satisfies a sweet tooth.
The classics too are done well. Shrine's Hemingway Daiquiri (RMB78) is delicious and zesty, with a heavy dose of maraschino liqueur to bring its pink color into full bloom.
For those simply looking to get as drunk as Hemingway, there are a handful of no-nonsense hard drinks like this hefty Vieux Carre (RMB98).
Try walking in a straight line after drinking that.
These are all safe territory for Daniel An, who is known for his creative and often downright eccentric libations. Open-minded drinkers can go full-on new age mixologist and request a 'special' when An himself is in the house.
Specify a flavor or preferred spirit base, or volunteer yourself as guinea pig for whatever libation An is working on. In our case, an intriguingly complex and smooth ice cold vodka, black truffle and 'Mud Puddle' chocolate bitters number that came with two dark chocolate truffles on the side.
Speakeasies in general might have died a death already, but it turns out you can't hold a good bar like this down. Shrine is a drinking destination in its own right, good for dates, small groups and people who just like well-made cocktails. Combine this with the fact that it's in United Valley, by itself worth a visit, and you have a place with real potential. We'll definitely be back for Monsignor An's holy water in future.
Price: RMB78-300 per person
Who's going: locals and expats
Good for: craft cocktails, dates, small groups
Shrine, 462 Changle Lu, United Valley, by Shaanxi Nan Lu.
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