Bar review: Rula Bula in Central
Kylie Knott
prop yourself up on a stool in this spacious Lan Kwai Fong establishment and watch the streams of people wander by. The creation of Irishman Cathal Kiely (the name behind Solas, The Salted Pig and Posto Pubblico), this happening bar's design is all lofty warehouse, reminiscent of bars in New York's Meatpacking District.
On this particular night, a DJ was spinning some funky dance tunes and the place was doing its weekday best to live up to its Irish name, , which means "uproar and commotion". There's also an uber hi-tech lighting system and movable furniture - including a table that slides to reveal a pool table. There's lots of brown furniture - mainly cool bar stools and an inviting leather couch in one corner.
the Rula Bula (HK$80) cocktail made up of Bacardi rum, orange curacao and raspberry syrup, had plenty of kick, although would have gone down more easily if it wasn't a chilly 8 degrees Celsius outside. Maybe the Godfather (HK$80) cocktail of JW Black Label and Amaretto would have been a more warming option. My friend's Honeybee (HK$80) was a zingy burst of Myers' rum, honey and lemon juice.
There's also a selection of classic cocktails (all HK$75) and molecular shots (HK$90 each) including Jäger Balls - Jägermeister liqueur wrapped in a ball floating in Red Bull - and Blue Balls, which substitutes Jägerbombs for Kamikaze. The barman said these go down well with the younger crowd.
the beauty of this bar is that it works as a place to chill out or to let your hair down and dance. The bonus is its overwhelming sense of space in the otherwise cramped LKF zone. Regular DJs adds to the mix.
