I’ve developed quite an interest in cocktails thanks to my many visits to the Aviary and the Office (or is it the other way around – the old chicken-and-the-egg problem?).
I’ll admit I was a little nervous about our visit to Hop Sing Laundromat. A few minutes online will turn up plenty of stories about people being turned away for various offenses, some from the owner himself, the enigmatic Mr. Lêe.
For example:
There’s no sign outside, but we recognized the doorway (online research paid off) and D rang the buzzer. After a wait just long enough to make us wonder, Are they open tonight?, a shadowy figure appeared at the top of the stairs and told us to wait a moment.
Then we were ushered in, not by Lêe but by another fellow, and asked to sit down while we listened to his instructions – no phone calls, though texting and Googling and Twittering is fine, and no photos in order to protect everyone’s privacy.
Inside, it’s dark and cool – the walls are covered with paintings and prints and framed mirrors, except behind the bar, where there are ceiling-high shelves of liquor. I snuck a picture of the bar, made of nickels.
The menu is a single sheet, with Hop Sing signature drinks on one side and classics on the other. We started with some of the signatures, of course – the Henry “Box” Brown for me and an Iowa Objection for D. (This has to be one of my favorite cocktail names ever, since I could alternately call it the Iowa Rejection, Recession, Secession, Obsession, and so many others. Yes, I am easily amused.)
Both of these are based on freshly squeezed grape juice – many of the signature drinks are made with fresh fruit juices, something I’ve never really seen in a serious (non-tiki) bar. The Henry “Box” Brown is nothing more than red grape juice and El Dorado 15 year rum, a creative, if simple, pairing that works well. I found the Iowa Objection even better – the Beefeater 24 gin, green grape juice, lime, and mint make for a light, refreshing, and well-balanced cocktail.
Between drinks, I spent a few minutes estimating the value of the bar based on the number of nickels. According to Lêe, it’s over $700.
D ordered an Old Fashioned, which I tasted and promptly appropriated, for it’s definitely the best one I’ve ever had – a little sweeter (there’s Demerara syrup in addition to the Willet 6 year rye, Angostura bitters, and orange peel) and ever so much smoother than others.
Since Hop Sing doesn’t serve food, we popped out between drinks to get a bite elsewhere in Chinatown. Our bartender suggested a few options; we decided to go to Penang for Malaysian. His instructions (“Order the first thing on the menu”) were spot on – the Roti Canai, served with a little bowl of chicken-and-potato curry for dipping, was so good we ordered a second one. The freshly made roti is stretchy-soft in some places and flaky-crisp in others, and had a wonderful slight sweetness; the curry is warming and spicy with a touch of coconut milk.
Later, back at Hop Sing, we had one last round. This time, I couldn’t resist the Nevermore, a very curious-sounding concoction of Smooth Ambler gin from West Virginia, Vietnamese coffee, Patron Citronge, and cream. Gin and coffee?? It’s remarkably good, silky and sophisticated, and the perfect way to end an evening.
I’m quite sure I’ll find my way back to Hop Sing Laundromat next time I’m back in Philly.
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