The annual list of Asia's 50 Best Bars was unveiled yesterday (Google still hasn't had a chance to catch up to the page's new metadata), and all they've done is shuffle Speak Low, Sober Company and Union Trading Company around a bit. Oh, and included some exciting new bars in other cities, but who has the money to travel that far. We spent it all at Sober Company. Click through for the whole list.
***
Shingo Gokan making a strong showing, as usual; Shanghai's tentpole speakeasy Speak Low has dropped to spot 3 from 2 last year, but Sober Company has jumped to 14 from 19. Union Trading Company, however, has dropped from 9 to 28. That basically means it's trash now. Why even go.
Just kidding, this is still Asia's Top 50 Bars. Yao Lu still holding court and doing his thing.
Here's the full list.
1. MANHATTAN, SINGAPORE
2. INDULGE EXPERIMENTAL BISTRO, TAIPEI
3. SPEAK LOW, SHANGHAI (down from No. 2 last year)
4. ATLAS, SINGAPORE
5. THE OLD MAN, HONG KONG
6. HIGH FIVE, TOKYO
7. TIPPLING CLUB, SINGAPORE
8. NATIVE, SINGAPORE
9. THE BAMBOO BAR AT M.O., BANGKOK
10. LOBSTER BAR & GRILL, HONG KONG
11. STOCKTON, HONG KONG
12. 28 HONGKONG STREET, SINGAPORE
13. BACKSTAGE COCKTAIL BAR, BANGKOK
14. SOBER COMPANY, SHANGHAI (up from No. 19 last year)
15. QUINARY, HONG KONG
16. BAR TRENCH, TOKYO
17. LE CHAMBER, SEOUL
18. ZUMA, HONG KONG
19. OPERATION DAGGER, SINGAPORE
20. BAR BENFIDDICH, TOKYO
21. CHARLES H, SEOUL
22. GIBSON, SINGAPORE
23. EMPLOYEES ONLY SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
24. 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA, HONG KONG
25. THE CURATOR, MANILA
26. ALICE CHEONGDAM, SEOUL
27. VESPER, BANGKOK
28. UNION TRADING COMPANY, SHANGHAI (down from No. 9 last year)
29. SMALLS, BANGKOK
30. JANES & HOOCH, BEIJING
31. THE PONTIAC, HONG KONG
32. D.BESPOKE, SINGAPORE
33. NUTMEG & CLOVE, SINGAPORE
34. GEN YAMAMOTO, TOKYO
35. TCRC, TAINAN
36. POTATO HEAD BEACH CLUB, BALI
37. BAR ORCHARD GINZA, TOKYO
38. JUNGLEBIRD, KUALA LUMPUR
39. LOEWY, JAKARTA
40. MIXOLOGY SALON, TOKYO
41. UNION BRASSERIE, BAKERY & BAR, JAKARTA
42. JIGGER & PONY, SINGAPORE
43. STAR BAR, TOKYO
44. TEENS OF THAILAND, BANGKOK
45. LAMP BAR, NARA
46. COLEY, KUALA LUMPUR
47. KEEPERS, SEOUL
48. THE RITZ CARLTON BAR & LOUNGE, MACAU
49. KU BAR, BANGKOK
50. THE OTHER ROOM, SINGAPORE
Biggest takeaways? Much the same, bar (hah) some shuffling around. Singapore still sitting pretty with 12 spots, 4 in the top 10. Good place to drink Asia's best cocktails, though Sugarhall has slipped off the list. Taipei's down from 3 bars to 1, Hong Kong lost two, ooh, Tokyo's gained two, Mixology Salon and Gen Yamamoto.
Also, reminder how Shanghai doesn't hold a monopoly on weird bar names. Lamp Bar. D. Bespoke. Potato Head Beach Club. Teens of Thailand. Teens of Thailand. Operation Dagger! That's my favorite Seagal movie.