The vibe: Ophelia is the much anticipated first Hong Kong venture by Ashley Sutton, the man behind some of Bangkok’s hottest hang outs and known for his unique concept bars. Money, time and effort have clearly been lavished on Ophelia, where the themes are peacocks and the exotic East (for those who like that kind of thing, there’s a back story about a bird collector called Mr Wong and a Javanese peacock called Ophelia).
The drinks: coyly entitled Ophelia’s Cabinet of Curiosities, the signature cocktail list features drinks with whimsical names accompanied by daffy quotes. The drinks sounded intriguing – on paper. A good cocktail should be more than the sum of its parts and none of the ones we tried came close to passing that test.
The verdict: fantasy fulfilment or pretentious and overpriced – it’s all a matter of taste and Ophelia is certainly packing in punters eager for the Ashley Sutton experience. It seems the no-smoking laws don’t apply in Ophelia-land, judging by the ashtrays on the tables and the number of people smoking.
#RobertReviewFoodAndBeverage (Ophelia Bar, Wanchai, Hong Kong): 8 | 10
Read more:
Bar review: Ophelia in Wan Chai – heavy on the concept, light on the flavours
#RobertReviewFoodAndBeverage: 8 | 10
#OpheliaClubWanchaiHongKong
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Originally Published: 5th July 2016.
Updated: 7th August 2019.
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Robert’s Photo Gallery on Ophelia:
Ophelia Club @ Night Summit (nightly social networking in the Best Hong Kong Pubs), Rise Conference