Aside from its upmarket, inventive set menu dining on the first floor restaurant, The Water
Library also has three lounge and wine bar areas downstairs with funky food, cocktails and live music at not audacious prices. A set menu of three cocktails paired with tapas bites at B790++ is a pleasant surprise to many, and their wine list starts at a mere B900++ a bottle.
Water Library is one-to-watch on the regional drinking and dining scene. The very talented mixologist Mirko Gardelliano was Germany’s Cocktail Champion in 2003, while the wine bar chef Urs Lustenberger worked with Michelin three star chef Juan Amador, and will take the reins at Water Library in Yangon, due to open this month.
Their operation at Grass Thonglor has a small cool bar, all black and glass, and opposite through full wall windows a clubby wine bar with just three tables, leather chairs and sofas and wine racks. Between is an outdoor space, covered against the rain, where on Fridays and Saturdays, from 9pm a live band plays at low enough volume to chat.
The list of 600 wine labels they claim is the biggest selection in town and their 33 cocktails use infusions of herbs and spices, plus alcohol perfumes that add both theatre and aroma. Some are prepared tableside, such as Nitrogen Cuba Libre (7 year-old Havana Club rum, fresh lime, Coca Cola and Nitrogen). The nitrogen gets the freeze without using ice, which dilutes the flavours as it melts.
Apart from the set, there’s a small food menu of items like Wagyu beef cheek with celeriac puree, apple and hazelnut (B380++) and Canadian lobster burger with seaweed, wasabi-tomato chutney, daikon and French fries (B400++).
Three wines each of red and white, plus two sparklers by the glass (B340-B675++) open the wine list; lower priced labels include the respected Billi Billi Shiraz by Mount Langi Ghiran (B1,400++), and there are many grands cru for deeper pockets. As Water Library import their own wines, if you find something you like you can order by the case to be delivered home.
Water Library @ Grass
Grass Thonglor, 264/1 Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor 12) | 02-714-9292 | Mon-Sat 6:30pm-1am
