'We're trying to serve something different,' says Antoine Babin, manager of the Opia bar and restaurant at the stunningly chic, Philippe Starck-designed Jia boutique hotel, in Causeway Bay.
The venue turned to Australian mixologist Mark Ward to develop its signature drinks list. The result is as original as Starck's design. With ingredients ranging from saffron and lemon marmalade to jasmine flowers, the creations are inspired.
One of the best is the Curry Martini. The blend is as smooth as it is vibrant, but the real treat is the chaser, a blend of feijoa vodka (feijoa is a fruit often known as a pineapple guava) with ice, cucumber and mint.
Among the bar's other unique creations are 'ice ball drinks', in which premier single-malt whiskies or aged cognacs are served with homemade frozen spheres of syrup that combine fruit, liqueur and Voss Artesian water. As the ice ball melts, the drink changes temperature, texture and flavour.
'We tried lots of combinations before settling on four,' Babin says. Others include armagnac served with a creme de cacao and orange ice ball.
Ice balls are a great idea for entertaining at home because they can be made in advance and transform a simple drink into a spectacular one.
