Stepping into Maison Ikkoku Cocktail Bar is like entering another world.

For one, its sophisticated and intimate interior is a far cry from the bustling cafe two storeys below. White brick walls and exposed steel pipes give this semi-al fresco bar an industrial feel, while sleek metallic globes hang from the ceiling as a sign of some out-of-this-world mixin’ going on.

Then there’s the menu: there isn’t. You choose your poison by telling ’em what you’re in the mood for (Something sweet? Minty? Strong?), and after a slightly surreal exchange, you sit back and watch Maison Ikkoku’s artisans shake and mix with an almost rhythmic grace.

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