LG/F, 97 Wellington Street, Central
Tel: 2810 6969
The vibe: only the keenest of eyes will spot the entrance to 001 after dark. It's a softly illuminated matte-black door on the bottom end of the Graham Street wet market, hidden behind the tofu stalls. There's no sign, but ring the art-deco doorbell and a black-clad man will open the door slightly, scan your group up and down, and if he sees fit, you will gain access to a breed of private bar rarely seen in Hong Kong.
As we walked down the stairs, we were politely but firmly told photography was forbidden (hence the lack of images with this article), and it was obvious the management were not seeking any press. We set foot on black wooden floors, with geometric rugs bearing horsehair-backed chairs, and eyed the secluded booths hidden behind curtains.
The drinks: premium spirits, particularly whisky. About half of the drinks menu is devoted to single casks and single malts, and the list makes for impressive reading. There are the usual Scotches, but the connoisseurs are there for the good stuff: shots range from HK$335 for the Glenlivet 32-year-old up to HK$615 for the Macallan 25-year-old sherry oak.
Sadly, there wasn't a whisky buff in the group, so we went for the cocktails. We all fought over my guest's King's Mule (HK$120, with gin, lime, ginger liquor, ginger beer and fresh mint) and my whisky sour was also popular (no whisky, but bourbon, lemon juice, bitters and a house-made maraschino cherry, HK$115). Bourbon is also a big feature of the menu (mostly artisan sour mash from Tennessee, costing up to HK$2,480 for a bottle of Gentleman Jack), and if you must have a beer, there are just Chimay Blue and Leffe Blonde (both HK$82) to choose from.
The verdict: the epitome of that ultimate Hong Kong clich? the clash between grunge and glamour. If you're able to find the entrance and assuming you get in, you'll feel as though you're being let in on a secret. Word-of-mouth will surely inspire the more adventurous drinkers to seek out this little gem - so try your luck before it's overrun.
