There’s just one Macao watering hole on the 2024 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, and that’s The St. Regis Bar at The St. Regis Macao. It is, officially, the 22nd best bar in the region – an accomplishment made all the more impressive when you consider that no local establishment has made the top 50 since 2018. At last month’s awards ceremony, held at the Rosewood Hong Kong, the sophisticated The St. Regis Bar also earned the title of “Best Bar in Macau”.
As 50 Best puts it, the bar “embodies the swank of New York’s yesteryear” with its Great Gatsby vibe and live jazz. Its cocktail menu boasts almost 40 libations, catering to the varied tastes of Macao’s well-heeled locals and its most discerning travellers.
And who can we thank? The bar’s brilliant mixologist, Kevin Lai. Lai is a finance graduate who found in cocktails what he couldn’t in spreadsheets: the chance to unleash his creativity while making genuine connections with people. Mixology took Lai from his native Taiwan and landed him in Beijing, then Guangzhou (where he was part of the celebrated Hope & Sesame team) and, more recently, Macao.
At The St. Regis Bar, Lai has transformed the space and offerings into a laboratory for artisan cocktails that honour the glamorous legacy of the Astor family – which founded the St. Regis brand back in 1904 – and celebrate New York City. But they also pay homage to Macao. This is particularly evident in the Macao Egg Tart (a dark rum-based drink infused with caramel and milk) and the Maria do Leste, a twist on the Bloody Mary that traces the journeys of Portuguese sailors via ingredients like Brazilian limes, piri-piri from Angola, Indian cinnamon and Chinese peppercorns.
We sat down with Lai to learn more about his role at the ‘Best Bar in Macau’, and how he approaches the art of the cocktail.
Congratulations on your 50 Best accomplishment! What did it take to get here?
Well, we’ve been hosting guest shifts throughout the year with our The Art of Mixology series, and I’ve been participating in guest shifts around Asia as well. These have been wonderful learning experiences. The recognition by Asia’s 50 Best Bars is an incredible testament to our team’s hard work and creativity.
Has the accolade changed anything at the bar?
There’s definitely a new level of pressure, but it’s a challenge we embrace. We can’t just maintain the high standards that got us here – we’ve got to strive to be better. The 50 Best listing motivates us to keep evolving and to inspire others in the industry.
Tell us about your philosophy as a bartender.
I want to build connections, whether it’s me connecting with guests or guests connecting with each other. Although mixology is my passion, for me, this journey is not so much about the cocktail creation itself – but rather how the drinks I create bring people together.
In terms of actually making cocktails, I believe inspiration can be found in anything – from deeply personal experiences in life to the mundane visit to the market. Anything goes, it’s just a matter of how we then reinterpret it.
That said, our cocktail menu is an homage to both the St. Regis brand and to Macao. That means the highest quality ingredients, precision and care in each drink’s craftsmanship. Then, to incorporate Macao’s vibrant heritage, we add local flavours. Things like Chinese herbs, spices and teas. We also get inspiration from the city’s blend of Portuguese and Chinese influences, creating cocktails that tell the story of what is really a very unique place.
What would you say are the bar’s ‘landmark’ cocktails?
I think it was our Art of Concoction selection that tipped the needle in our favour [regarding Asia’s 50 Best Bars]. Macao Egg Tart, Modern Art and Stonewall Inn are some of those cocktails.
The idea for Stonewall Inn came to me during a visit to its location in New York. The Stonewall Inn, by the way, is a gay bar and one of the birthplaces of the LGBT community. It played an important role in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising [five days of riots that lead to the international gay rights movement]. Our Stonewall Inn cocktail is garnished with colourful cotton candy, representing the rainbow flag.
Are there any new drinks on the horizon?
We’re launching six new cocktails in a couple of months. This was inspired by a recent trip I took to New York. In the Little Island, we use rum, fat-washed coconut oil and cinnamon; this one was inspired by a pier in the Hudson River Park. Another new cocktail is the Times Square, it’s made with lavender gin we distil at the bar, butterscotch liqueur and blueberry.
Define your bar in three words?
Passionate, unique and welcoming. Everything and everyone plays a part in making that true at The St. Regis Bar, from the live jazz to the menus, as well as the ambiance and hosts. Guests feel like they’re being welcomed home when they step into the bar.
