Bar review: Djiboutii - a taste of East Africa in Wan Chai
Venture into the "Horn of Wan Chai" for an East Africa-themed night of exotic cocktails.
The vibe: a touch of the Horn of Africa, in, er, the Horn of Wan Chai. But Djiboutii's tribal decor, goats' skulls and safari-lodge wall mountings are where that theme ends. Probably a good job, as drunken behaviour in Islamic Djibouti can result in a two-year prison term.>
Outside Africa, there is a smouldering low-light setting, and some Arabian Nights-style golden tea pots. For the punctilious punters, we're informed Djiboutii has been spelled with an extra "i" as a nod to the bar's international vibe.
The drinks: red, white and sparkling wines are all available, along with fresh fruit juices such as the Jungle Nectar (honeydew melon, ginger, green apples and pears; HK$45). But Djiboutii is all about the tea-infused cocktails. The DjBlue Tea (HK$115) felt like a detox with lavender, cranberry tea, blueberries, and lemon juice, but it was lifted by some infused Russian vodka, cacao liquor and sloe liquor.
The Republic was described by my friend as being "like a pure cherry sweet" — in fact, it contains Effen cherry vodka, grapefruit juice, cherry sour purée and sugar-infused lemon (HK$110). The Djiboulini was a beautiful pear-juice Tenuta prosecco, topped with a rose petal and finished off with a hit of peppercorn at the bottom of the glass (it also included hibiscus water and rosehip rhubarb cordial).
