Slide On 79: Prime Pre-game Locale in Central

Come for cocktails, stay for more

District: Soho/LKF, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Fusion
How much: Drinks start at around $88 (with great daily happy hour deals!). Bar bite dishes range from $78 to $118
The Best For: Pre-drinks with a small group
Must Order: Papasito AND Pita Pockets

This open-air lounge bar, where Soho and LKF meet, is the perfect starter location to round up the troops for a well-deserved happy hour and more. Insta-ready with vibrant murals inside and out, the vibe is chill and modern, yet ready to transform in an instant – with the help of its discreet drop-down screen, to a dynamic spot to view your fave sporting events live.

The Signature Cocktail Menu is full of multi-cultural influences and original mixers such as Buddha’s Creation ($118), made by Buddha himself (le bartender), an easy-to-drink single malt concoction with apple caviar (!). For something with more of a definitive kick, we recommend the Papasito ($118) a chilli infused tequila base with lemongrass, other fruity flavours and a slick, salted rim.

While Slide On 79 offers many signature creations, your classic cocktails and mixers are also available on a daily B1G1 happy hour offer Monday through Saturday, 5pm to 9pm, and on Sunday 12pm to 8:30pm (I know, right?).

Next up, the “Bar Bites” – a modest title for this mouth-watering menu, which is chock-full of internationally inspired small plates, perfect for sharing. Starting strong with the Wild Mushroom & Goat Cheese Baklava ($88) a savoury and decadent take on the traditional Turkish desert, we thought we had come for cocktails and discovered we were staying for so much more.

 Upgrade and fast-forward your cheeky late-night kebab to the more refined but equally indulgent Pita Pockets ($98), packed to the toasty brim with chicken, carmelised onions, fresh veg, cream cheese and served up with a side of mint sauce. We mistakenly under-estimate the freshly baked Cheese Toast ($78), which was an unexpected but highly welcomed favourite. Bite-sized cheesy goodness dripped on toast topped with onions and spices. Need we boast more?

I rarely condone (cue gasp) skipping a proper dinner, but this filling bar-side menu (available until midnight), combined with the winning signature cocktails and lengthy happy hour, is giving my insatiable appetite a run for its metabolism.

Although touting itself as a sports bar, Slide On 79 seems to be a jack of all trades. It will show sports games on large screens (which are pulled up when the games aren’t on), and even has live entertainment, so if you’re looking for a place to watch your favourite team or listen to a band or hear a DJ spin his or her beats, check out its events page here.

Sassy Tip: Take charge of your own, private happy hour and book a three-hour free flow, Monday through Thursday for $398 or $448 Friday & Saturday (min. five people). Other packages including bar bites and more available upon request.

Slide On 79,  Upper Basement, Harilela House 79 Wyndham Street (Entrance on Pottinger Street), Central, Hong Kong, 2779 9279  www.facebook.com/SlideOn79