Bar review: Sky 726, Mong Kok - cool setting for some serious cocktails
House-infused gin and tonics hit the spot, staff are eager to please, the food is good too and staff are eager to please at this night spot high up in Mong Kok
The vibe: the self-styled “French fusion” Sky 726 is a pleasant surprise in a building full of inexpensive restaurants. The interior is cool and understated at night, with quirky hand-painted murals standing out in the daytime. A bar in the centre and an open kitchen on one side create a buzz, staff are eager to please and open views across Mong Kok give a sense of spaciousness.
The drinks: cocktails are taken seriously, with good-quality ingredients and a list divided into sections including infused gin and tonic, Bellinis, signature cocktails and modern classics. There’s also a selection of craft beers and a decent wine list.
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Kaffir and Lime gin and tonic cocktail at Sky 726.
We tried two of the gin and tonic offerings (HK$80 per glass, HK$280 per jug) - Kaffir & Lime (house-infused lemongrass Hayman’s London Dry Gin, kaffir lime syrup, lime juice and tonic) and Orange Cinnamon (orange peel and cinnamon house-infused Hayman’s, Aperol, orange bitters and tonic). Both were refreshing and well balanced, their respective flavourings coming through strongly without overpowering the citrus elements and, while apparently innocuous at first, the gin crept up on you gently. A cinnamon stick as a straw was a nice touch in the Orange Cinnamon.
Orange Cinnamon gin and tonic cocktail.
From the modern classics, the Black Tommy (Don Julio Blanco tequila, agave nectar, jalapeño syrup, lime juice and raspberry purée, HK$110) turned out to be a raspberry margarita - agreeable if somewhat sweet with no evidence of the jalapeño. The Smoked Julep (10-year-old Laphroaig whisky, Bitter Truth apricot brandy, maple syrup and mint leaves, HK$110) sounded delicious and looked spectacular, served over shaved ice in a metal cup with smoke added from a cut-glass decanter which made us think of the Potions class from Harry Potter. Sadly, the smoke tasted so strongly of burnt petrol that it obscured the other flavours and made the end result undrinkable.
The interior of Sky 726.
The verdict: Sky 726 strikes a good balance between appealing to local customers and to those in search of something more sophisticated in an area better known for cheap and cheerful restaurants. Food and drinks are good value (we had an excellent steak) and the management are clearly passionate about what they do.
