Shhh...SUGA

Sometime you just want to hide, 
so follow me as I as I discover the dooziest hide-away bar in Dubai

A STORY  ABOUT CHARLIE

Before I start, let me tell you about Charlie.

Many moons ago, my best friend in London was a guy called Charlie. We met on the day of my 20th birthday, which happened to also be my first day at my first job in London. 
His humble manners, and goofy sense of humor meant we clicked immediately and after a few minutes started cracking jokes. A couple of hours later, the guy who hired me, came over to introduce us officially and told me Charlie was one of the managers. 

Oops! Too late to go back with formalities: the ice had been broken and melted sort of speak. This, simply meant that, from there onward we become great friends through thick and thin for the 13 years that I lived and breathed London. 

Charlie is about 7 years older than me, but those 7 years felt like 70 (in a good way!) He has an old and wise soul,  and one of the things he'd like the most was hideaways. He would always enjoy hanging out for our outings at hotels' bars in Mayfair or in some quiet restaurant in some back street of the West End.

As a young and wild 20 something, I found the hotel bar lounge scene to be so boring, and I would ask why wouldn't we go have a drink somewhere more lively. 

With his tranquil, zen like attitude Charlie would say:

What's wrong with this? It's relaxed here. I can hear what you are saying, you can hear me. Blissfull!"

and he'd go bottoms up on his scotch. 

Back then I associated these experiences with "Charlie being Charlie". 
What I underestimated, were the opportunities and lifetime memories that I got. 

Opportunities to appreciate the company of a friend in an environment that's comfortable and cozy: an oasis of peace.  The memories are priceless, especially now that Charlie and I, live opposite sides of the world. 

What I didn't know was that these opportunities to hang out with my friend were what helped me grow to love cocktail lounges and cocktails in general.  And now, that I'm older I also understand the pleasure of being in an oasis of peace. away from the noise, traffic, and stress of life. To say it in a sentence this is what I learnt:

 I learnt to enjoy the stillness of a moment that's been stolen from a busy life and  it got infused in a cocktail. 

Stylish art deco interior design at Suga Dubai

WELCOME  TO  SUGA 

I have been to Conrad Dubai in Sheikh Zayed Road, a few times, since it opened a year ago,  however I never noticed Suga until the night I had to go at the launch. Why?  Because Conrad Dubai did a brilliant job at hiding it. Purposely, may I add. 
It honestly is, thebest attempt that I have seen thus far in Dubai to a Speakeasy.

Three months ago, I attended a presentation on Speakeasy's by Tanqueray Gin's Global Ambassador's Angus Winchester. He quoted a paragraph from a book on Speakeasys and narrated: 

"Dark and guarded doors opened into a spreading world of enchantment; a world of soft-lights, seductive scents, silken music, adroit entertainment, smoke and laughter, of perfection of food and service, of wines and liquors of the first quality, all in a setting of gold and silver and brocade, velvet, iron, glass and exotic woods"

Walking through the doors of Suga, really reminded me of this. 

With its discreet, vault-like entrance that you will need both hands to open, Suga welcomes you to a world of soft-lights and flirtatious murals. 

Detailed touches of a bygone era are complimenting them to create a rich and mysterious ambiance of golden dark shadows, whilst the half-moon upholstered alcoves invite you to an intimate seating plan.

The hero of this venue is certainly the bar!!

I really like that! 

Often you go to some places and there's no originality, no difference between hanging out at the bar or at the farthest corner of the locale. 
There's no excitement walking to the bar, when I feel that the bar is the reason you are there in first place. 

If you wanted just a comfy seat, you could have stayed home and relaxed on your sofa, right? But, no! You came out to a bar, because you wanted to experience something special!! 

Suga does not belong to those type of venues that I just mentioned; it puts "your experience" and "the bar" in focus and it leaves no room for misunderstanding this.
I loved the fact that the Suga's lounge is engulfed by this charming obscurity and the only part that's really under the spotlight is the bar. 
This for me, has also something of  a subconscious or subliminal meaning. 

If I wanted to get philosophical I'd say the bar represents the light at the end of the tunnel or as  I was saying earlier an oasis of peace, that retribution, that pick-me-up that you give yourself after a long busy day at work. 

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SUGA'S CLIENTELE

Suga is a venue that has been crafted for the cocktails' connoisseurs, and for a discerning clientele, who is looking forward to a degustation of finest drinks, outstanding cocktails and exquisite canapes style menu, all served with impeccable butler style service. 
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Dubai attracts the world's elite of finance, fashion, media, art and business, and I think that Suga makes the perfect after dark adventure to enjoy classic and original cocktails in exclusive milieu.

One of the many delicious cocktail at Suga

I had the pleasure of catching up with Suga's charming bartender Andrii Osypchuk for 3 exclusive cocktails.
In the next article we will discover these amazing drinks. So stay tuned!
Oh and my friend Charlie hasn't changed. He still enjoys quiet places, so quiet that he moved with his wife from London to a small town retreat in the Canadian mountains, but if ever passed through Dubai I know he would love Suga!

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