In the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars released earlier this year, only four bars from mainland China made the cut, with three of them located in Shanghai. Speak Low, also known as “Bi Lou” in Chinese, is one of these prestigious establishments.
My first visit to Speak Low was quite an adventure, as I spent a considerable amount of time searching for the bar.
There were no signs or indications of Speak Low or Bi Lou on the street, and I mistakenly assumed that the name “Bi Lou” meant the bar was hidden inside a residential building.
After a fruitless search in the nearby apartment buildings, I had to seek help from the locals.
Fortunately, they were kind enough to guide me to the street and point out the “tailor shop” that I had previously overlooked, which turned out to be the disguise for Speak Low.
Speak Low Entrance
Upon entering, I discovered a whole new world. The small shop front was actually due to the bar being concealed behind a bookshelf.
Later, in a conversation with the bartender, I learned that the bar’s inspiration for disguising itself as “Tailor Shop” came from the Prohibition era in the United States, when many alcohol-selling establishments had to disguise themselves as pharmacies, hardware stores, and other businesses to evade government scrutiny. The 1925 novel “The Great Gatsby” also features a similar speakeasy.
Speakeasy disguised as a barbershop in “The Great Gatsby”
The passage behind the bookshelf leads to a staircase, with each floor of the bar having a distinct style.
The first floor is exceptionally minimalistic, so much so that I didn’t even realize it was part of the bar on my first visit.
The wooden bar counter and a white apparatus give the impression of a perfume laboratory, with various liquors being replaced by perfume bottle-like containers on the wall behind the bar.
Recalling that a bartender on the third floor mentioned he was currently studying organic chemistry, it seems likely that he might be conducting his “practical lessons” here.
Speak Low’s passage and the first-floor interior
The second and third floors are American and British-style bars, respectively, with the second floor also offering food. The bartenders here do not have fixed floors; they typically rotate every month.
During my visit, the bartender on the third floor recommended a low-alcohol drink called “Spicy” to me, as I was a newcomer.
The drink was served in a handcrafted silver vessel with a red chili pepper inside, making me hesitant to take a sip.
However, upon tasting it, I discovered that the strong spice flavor skillfully masked the taste of alcohol.
Speak Low’s third floor
For me, the atmosphere at Speak Low is even more appealing than the drinks and food. The convivial ambiance around the bar is largely attributed to the bartenders, who are eager to share their knowledge with patrons.
They told us that the term “bar” originated during the American Western expansion when cowboys would tie their reins to a horizontal wooden beam outside the establishment while they drank inside.
Over time, the term “bar” became synonymous with the wooden beam and the establishment itself. They also shared their experiences from attending events and even joined in on customers’ discussions about zodiac signs. Through the topics they initiated, patrons at the bar gradually became more familiar with each other and began to interact.
The drink “Spicy”
Through conversations with the bartenders, one can also gain insight into their “mixology philosophy.”
Unlike other culinary professions such as bakers and chefs, bartenders rarely have dedicated training and certification institutions, and there are virtually no “academically trained” bartenders.
As a result, even when a bar owner is hiring a bartender, it is difficult to determine whether they have sufficient professional skills. The owner must rely on their own judgment and the bartender’s reputation within the industry.
Bartenders often have to distill their experiences and inspiration from repeated bartending work and life experiences. Their insights into work and life are served alongside the drinks for customers to savor.
The bartender from Guangzhou who chatted with us
During one of my visits to Speak Low, as the evening was drawing to a close, a girl at the bar noticed that her drink was topped with an excessive amount of whipped cream. She mumbled under her breath, “Oh no, this drink is going to be a calorie bomb.” The bartender, who was in the middle of slicing an orange peel, overheard her and looked up, remarking, “Is it really happiness if there’s no price to pay?” Well, he indeed sounded like a philosopher.
Speak Low’s second floor
I had also planned to visit Sober Company, another bar on the list, but during our conversation, the bartender informed me that Sober Company is actually a branch of Bi Lou. So, my plan to explore Sober Company was temporarily put on hold. For those interested, why not visit and discover it for yourself?
Sober Company
Related Articles:
