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‘The Old Man’ comes home: Award-winning mixologist Agung Prabowo takes over MO Bar for a night
Mandarin Oriental Jakarta’s MO Bar was unusually lively on Feb. 27 as renowned mixologist Agung Prabowo took charge of the drinks that Wednesday night. Agung is the co-founder of The Old Man in Hong Kong.
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Mandarin Oriental Jakarta's MO bar let renowned mixologist Agung Prabowo take charge for a night. Agung is the co-founder of The Old Man in Hong Kong. (Mandarin Oriental/File)
Mandarin Oriental Jakarta’s MO Bar was unusually lively on Feb. 27 as renowned mixologist Agung Prabowo took charge of the drinks that Wednesday night. Agung is the co-founder of The Old Man in Hong Kong.
Guests filled every corner of the bar while Agung and his team were racing to serve the novel range of drinks. Agung, who was crowned Asia’s bartender of the year at Drink Magazine Bar Awards 2018, served signature drinks from his Hemingway-inspired cocktail bar, such as For Whom the Bell Toll #1940 and Garden of Eden #1985.
Those lining up for drinks were excited to taste cocktails concocted by the award-winning master.
The Old Man Hong Kong ranks fifth in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars and 10th in the World’s 50 Best Bars. It is also the winner of Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by Spanish brandy label Torres.
For Jakartans, the excitement is a notch higher, as Agung ‘The Old Man’ himself hails from Jakarta. Previously, Agung managed the Oriental Bar at Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, which was later renamed MO Bar, before moving to MO Bar at the Landmark Hong Kong and The Chinnery at Mandarin Oriental, also in Hong Kong.
Good experiences at The Old Man were another reason for the excitement of those who have been to the Hong Kong bar. Foodie Jed Doble said people would usually go to The Old Man, have a few drinks and then call it a night, but then the barmen convince you to stay and serve you shots you can’t say no to. It is also said that bartenders from all over Hong Kong come to The Old Man for nightcap after work.
Read also: Jakpost Nightlife: Jakarta’s speakeasy bars
Garden of Eden #1985 infuses rotovap honeydew royal brewhouse red royale, goat milk royal brewhouse black royale, caramelized sauterne cordial and orange-phosphate Nusantara bitter.
Meanwhile, For Whom the Bell Tolls #1940 offers an eclectic combination of cocoa nib sous-vide Batavia arrack, sour strawberry, rotovap burnt butter royal brewhouse red royale and avocado burst.
Agung didn’t mind making a nonalcoholic drink for The Jakarta Post.
“That is a simple fruit punch, but I twisted it a [little] with some Monin syrup and fresh juice inside,” he said, adding that his bar in Hong Kong served a number of nonalcoholic beverages.
Recently, The Old Man expanded to Singapore. Agung told the Post that The Old Man Singapore opened its doors on Feb. 19 with exactly the same concept and design as its Hong Kong namesake.
“However, the one in Singapore is twice the size of [The Old Man] Hong Kong.”
