Secret 8 – Speakeasy
by Abdon FLORES
The Buddha Bar is almost an institution around the world, a concept created by Finnish entrepreneur and former model Tarja Visan. Well, 2017 just saw a succesful venture between Ms. Visan and Mareva Essia, founder of Tigre Blanc Paris group: the creation of a speakeasy inside the Buddha Bar; those secrets spots where people gathered to drink secretly during the years of prohibition in the United States.
Secret 8 is the name of this superbe blind tiger which, as any of these establishments, functions through a password. Every month a riddle is proposed to the clients in order for them to guess it and get access to this sultry, majestic chamber of curiosities attended by chef barman Régis Célabe. Since winter is around the corner, this is a great opportunity to visit Secret 8 and try the just released new menu.
Long, suggestive, evocative names are included in the new menu. For instance, Promenons-nous dans les bois which is a subtle mixture of Tigre Blanc Vodka® Classic Edition infused with mushrooms, homemade mushrooms syrup, cream and pear; the perfect combination to have a taste of the woods. Hiver tropical: Arcane Cane Crush white Rhum infused with clementine and cinnamon, coconut cream infused with clove essential oil and pineapple. Or the beautiful Fleur de Geisha served in a swan-shape cup made of cecramics, containing an unexpected mixture: Generous Gin infused with “Fleur de Geisha” green tea, lavander infused Martini Ambrato vermouth, and Suze.
The cocktails are visually breathtaking for another detail of this secret place lies in the fact that only ten continents are assigned per cocktail; in fact the glassware was bar-gained in exotic flea markets so to define a full concept for each particular cocktail. Important to note: three alcohol-free cocktails are also proposed in this bar inside a bar. Secret 8 is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 19 till 02 in the morning. Limited to 25 people.
More info and photos: @secret8bybuddhabar in Instagram.