OCTOBER 2018 - SCOOT IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINE

SEOUL
PHOTOGRAPHY LE CHAMBER, SOUTHSIDE PARLOR, ALICE CHEONGDAM
ABOVE
Le Chamber’s
‘Chamber
Story’ cocktail.
pick the correct tome from a
bookshelf to get in. High
ceilings, lush drapes, and
chandeliers create a
handsome spot for enjoying
modern interpretations of
classic cocktails such as the
Dark ‘n’ Stormy and Moscow
Mule. In some nights, cocktail
competitions – wherein
bartenders are invited to get
creative for the praise of
guests and their peers – are
held for everyone’s
entertainment benefit.
At Alice Cheongdam, in
Seoul’s high-profile Gangnam
district, a picture of a white
rabbit marks a basement
Wonderland. Below a flower
shop, bartenders meld
extravagant cocktails in what
looks like a chateau drawing
room. Cocktails include the
Cheshire’s Tail: berry-infused
gin, cardamom, and lime in a
genie lamp glass wrapped in a
cotton candy cloud, or Hippity-
Hoppity: a vodka, elderflower,
and spearmint concoction
inside a hand-painted ceramic
White Rabbit.
Behind an unmarked door at
the Ritz Carlton Seoul is Charles
H, paying tribute to the great
American cocktail writer Charles
H. Baker Jr. Lavish design
elements are inspired by 1920s
New York, a formative period for
the critic. Rich mahogany
furnishings include an
apothecary cabinet filled with
mysterious decanters and snuff
bottles sourced from China. A
local sense of place is
amalgamated with modern
Korean metalwork, glass
mosaic floors, and a tapestry
mimicking the braided
hairstyles of imperial wives.
The menu is split into
sections charting Baker’s
wayfaring from Cairo and
Havana to New York and
Shanghai. Head bartender
Lorenzo Antinori’s signatures
include the Boracay Old
Fashioned, a blend of coconut
aged bourbon, almond
liqueur and aromatic bitters, or
a flight of three Manhattans,
made with recipes from 1870,
1917, and 2002 of differing
tastes and potencies.
The manager at Alice
Cheongdam, Aiden Lim, has
high hopes that Seoul will soon
break into the World’s 50 Best
and even be tapped to host
the awards ceremony. “Seoul’s
bar scene is still growing, and it
is one of the biggest cities in
the world. There is unfettered
potential.”
The ‘Hippity
Hoppity’ is one of
Alice Cheongdam’s
signature drinks.
MORE GREAT
WATERING HOLES
Still thirsty? These cocktail
bars are certain to round
out your Seoul bar crawl.
The Factory
This industrial-chic joint
helped jumpstart the local
mixology scene. Co-owned
by a female whiskey master,
they serve excellent Old
Fashioneds.
402-13 Seogyo-dong,
Mapo-gu, Seoul,
South Korea
Ox
Located in Hannam-dong,
this restaurant focuses
on quality beef and
aged steaks with fine
cocktail pairings.
oxhannam
Southside Parlor
Southern-inspired flavors
meet fresh ingredients at
this American joint, with
taco nights, traditional
barbecue, and the signature
spicy Omija Mule.
SouthsideParlor
Scoot
flies three times
weekly to Seoul.
Book your
flights at
flyscoot.com
50 SCOOT