Bar review: Fizz in Central - a place to chill with (non-bubbly) cocktails

The vibe: pleasantly mellow, Fizz is a bar aimed at grown-ups in the midst of Wyndham Street’s party and pick-up oriented scene. Sit in the open front looking onto the old Police Headquarters for some people-watching or relax in the back in comfy, leather-covered  seats.  

The drinks: despite the name, Fizz offers just one champagne by the glass (Roederer Brut,  HK$170) and the signature “fizzy” cocktails are made with a lesser sparkling wine. Although that gives more bubbles for your bucks, there’s no substitute for the extra body and richness real champagne confers on a cocktail, as the two we tried showed. The French 75 (gin, lemon, bitters-infused sugar cube and bubbles, HK$98) was elegant and refreshing if very light. The Yuzu Twist (vodka, yuzu  honey, pineapple juice, bubbles, HK$98) surprised us by being blue and was thin, with little flavour detectable except that of the wine itself.

The non-fizzy signature cocktails were far more impressive. A Sip of Paris (vodka, Pernod, cucumber, black pepper, HK$118) boasted complex layers of flavour and a creamy, smooth texture. The Spiced Amaretto Sour (vodka, amaretto, lemon, chilli, HK$108) was beautifully balanced, the chilli adding just the right kick without overwhelming the smoky almond of the amaretto.

 Presentation of all the drinks was stunning (A Sip of Paris was so gorgeous we  Instagrammed it at once), with the added virtue of being served in easy to drink from glasses as opposed to the weird and wonderful vessels some bartenders dream up.