The cocktail revelry is in full swing this May. With so many exciting happenings, it’s easy to get lost in the merry-making and forget about drinking responsibly. But we know you don’t want to hear that from us. Instead, we’ll let the experts speak.
This month, we sit down with three prominent bartenders in the region to get their takes on why responsible drinking isn’t just another boring concept. Hear them dish out practical handles on how to stay hydrated while drinking, tips on bar hopping in their respective cities, and even hard truths on dealing with FOMO.
Matteo Cadeddu, Opium Bar, Bangkok
Matt’s easygoing and carefree personality means that to him, responsible drinking is all part of the fun equation. The bar manager at Opium Bar Bangkok states plainly that responsible drinking is simply about “having fun while knowing your limits.” He also stresses that “[drinking] water is important, especially in hot cities like Bangkok” where the heat, combined with alcohol consumption, can potentially cause dehydration. Thankfully, it seems like the industry trend in Bangkok is that bars can be “quite obsessive about giving water to guests and ensuring that their glass of water remains full.”
But that’s not to say that guests don’t have a part to play. Some of Matt’s tips include drinking a glass of water per cocktail and placing your glass of water within your line of sight as a reminder to hydrate yourself when your water is refilled. Drinking and driving is also never a good idea, and apps like U Drink I Drive in Bangkok let you engage a chauffeur to drive you and your car home after a night out.
In dealing with the peer pressure of drinking more, Matt believes that it’s all about “confidence”. Sure, you might get jeers for not taking that drink, but on the flip side, you may also get made fun of if you lose yourself while drinking too much. Ultimately, “don’t drink because someone told you to. Know what you can do and what you want to do.”
Xun Tan, Reka Bar, Kuala Lumpur
For Xun, the head bartender of KL’s illustrious Reka Bar, responsible drinking looks like “not causing trouble to others and yourself”, and being “firm”, with yourself and those around you. He shares that even when others are egging you on, “no one can physically force you to drink, so the choice is really yours. Be honest, be sincere. “You guys have fun, I’ll take a break” – tell your friends that.”
Recalling a customer who once fell asleep in the bathroom after having too many drinks, Xun emphasises the importance of paying attention to your body, pacing yourself, and staying hydrated. In his experience, drinking water also helps him feel more refreshed the next day. He advises to take a gulp of water in between sips of your cocktail.
And for those thinking of visiting bars in KL, take note that the city is not particularly walkable. It’s only possible to walk from bar to bar in Chinatown, but if you’re venturing out to areas like Petaling or Damansara, you’ll definitely need to engage a ride-hailing service, or use apps like BuddyDriver to hire a chauffeur to drive your car.
Bryan Bonifacio, Employees Only, Singapore
Bryan might be a goofball behind the bar, but his take on responsible drinking is as straight-laced as it gets: “It’s about knowing what you need to do the next day”. The bar manager reminds us that we all have responsibilities, like “knowing that someone’s waiting for you back home”. “For me,” he shares, “I call my mum and dad [at the end of a service], and I’ll get back to say hi to the dogs.”
He introduces us to the trinity of responsible drinking: time, food, and water. It’s important to prolong the time in between drinks – whether it’s by choosing to walk between bars or engaging in conversation – as well as to not drink on an empty stomach. That’s why at Employees Only, hip hop music is played late in the evening to get people dancing and moving to space out their drinks, and the bar’s tradition is to serve customers a bowl of hearty chicken soup at the end of the night.
As for drinking water, Bryan advises guests to “go below the halfway mark [of their glasses]” so bartenders know to fill them up, and “set an alarm every 15 minutes” as a reminder to stay hydrated. He doesn’t just see it as a rule though: “Drinking water also clears your palate and lets you really savour and enjoy your drink. “Hydrate, be great” – that’s something I always tell my guests”.
We also get to hear about Bryan’s experience going dry for a year. “I learned a lot from it,” he shares, “especially the art of saying ‘no’.” And his advice on responding to peer pressure? “Find the best way to deal with it. Ask yourself “why are you drinking?”. If you’re celebrating, decide how much you want to drink, set the limit, and stick with it. It doesn’t make the party boring.”
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Ready to put these tips into practice? Check out our picks of the best cocktail bars in Bangkok and our recent roundup of the best new bars in town.