A flair for the dramatic
Francesco Moretti seems like the perfect man to have behind a bar backed by Vogue magazine. The well-travelled barman doesn’t want for style or ingenuity—or bravado, for that matter. Italian by birth, Moretti left home years ago and has since worked at some of the hottest nightlife venues in the world, including Bar Rouge in Shanghai, his last stop before moving to the chic Vogue Lounge, located on the 6th floor of the MahaNakhon Cube. Having extracted himself from a Chinese nightlife scene which he says “was too much about partying,” he’ll tell you he’s right in his element at Vogue Lounge, where a staff-wide devotion to the finer details doesn’t go unnoticed.
Moretti has been in charge of the bar here for only a few months, but he has already revamped the cocktail menu; building a brand-new line-up of cool and complex signature drinks while simplifying the choices for customers at the same time. The menu is now broken down into easy-to-process categories—sweet and sour, strong, and so on—and each page-long category is broken down even further by price (come during so-called “fashion hour” and get two-for-one standard drinks, which are anything but standard).
Of all the fizzes and sours, it’s the signature cocktails that best demonstrate the hold Moretti has on flair and flavour, not to mention the time he’s put into ensuring Vogue’s clientele are catered to well. In the Bronze & Coco (B450), Absolut Elyx vodka, coconut cream, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kaffir lime leaf, homemade cinnamon syrup, and Jamaican allspice form a smooth and aromatic medley. Kaffir lime lends a Thai touch to a cocktail that would play well at any tropical beach, and the warming allspice is the perfect foil to the fruit juices.
The Bronze & Coco is served, fittingly enough, in a bronze pineapple atop a bed of dry ice. When the dry ice blooms, the cocktail practically begs for Instagram posts and check-ins.
Don’t miss Moretti’s coffee-infused Negroni (B380). Beefeater gin ages for one month with Italian coffee beans, retaining the earthy undertones of Italian espresso. The Oh Beautiful (B340), on the other hand, re-examines tequila’s role as a masculine spirit. Pineapple skin-infused tequila meets pandan syrup, egg white, pineapple juice, Galliano vanilla liqueur, and lemon juice, resulting in a light and fruity mix with a nod to local flavours in the pandan.
Meanwhile the food menu has become a calling card in itself. Smoked tuna tartare rolls (B420) and Salmon cones (B450)—bites made to be shared on the air-conditioned patio (yes, there’s air con outdoors), or beside the original Warhols on the walls inside—neither overpower the drinks nor wilt under their potency. Plated beautifully, they keep pace with Vogue Lounge’s flawless style.
January 27th
As part of Absolut’s “Third Ear” event series, Vogue Lounge will host DJ Osunlade on Friday, January 27th. This is the first instalment of the new Absolut series, featuring a curated selection of influential electronic music artists, all across Thailand. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Osunlade has been personifying the house music sound with his personal and spiritual approach since he founded the label Yoruba Records in 1999. The influential DJ and producer is now known for his legendary sets and remixes—shifting from organic house music to twisted techy cuts—as well as his fourteen albums including several mix CDs.
Vogue Lounge
6F, MahaNakhon Cube, Narathiwas Rajanakarin Rd.
Tel: 02 001 0697 | Open daily: 5pm-2am
www.fb.com/vogueloungebangkok
