Bar De Luxe has been one of Hong Kong’s leading bars in terms of pairing refined, crisp Ginza-style drinks with a lively ambience for nearly a decade now. Ties to legendary bartender Hidetsugu Ueno, of Bar High Five fame, remain and staff still visit Ginza to train under the icon. No wonder they excel at “bartender’s choice” experiences – guests simply specify preferred flavours, and these skilled bartenders craft bespoke cocktails. Unlike many competitors, BDL eschews heavily conceptualised menus, so newcomers can start with BDL’s selection of signatures. The bar has added hints of local flair however, such as in a recent series of drinks inspired by Hong Kong films. The Protégé, for example, with its champagne, cucumber and lavender spirit, green apple syrup, kaffir lime-infused absinthe and a garnish of MSG, packed a punch and resembled the drugs that drove the eponymous movie’s gritty plot.