Get a taste of agave and rice spirits at Cat Bite Club

IF YOUR knowledge of tequila starts and ends at margaritas, or you only drink soju out of watermelon halves, then a visit to Cat Bite Club will vastly expand your horizons.

Specialising in agave and rice spirits, Cat Bite Club joins the growing ranks of speakeasies tucked away within coffee joints: in this case, Monument Lifestyle on Duxton Road.

Beyond dark curtains at the back of the cafe, you’ll find a slim bar, high tables and plush booth seating. Behind the bar, brightly-lit shelves display an array of tequila, mezcal, soju and shochu.

Founders Jesse Vida and Gabriel Lowe describe themselves as “curiously passionate” about these categories of spirits, rather than experts. Says Vida: “We’re still learning, we’re still sourcing.”

To help customers in their exploration, the compact cocktail menu consists of classics and variations thereof.

There’s one signature cocktail each for agave and rice. The Cat Bite Margarita uses both mezcal and tequila, and further adds agave syrup alongside Cointreau, sherry and citrus. The Soju Sprint is a refreshing tall drink combining soju and soda, with flavours of peach, honey, mint and citrus – as well as absinthe and sherry.

Beyond these, the menu’s approach is to offer a classic cocktail – a Negroni or espresso martini, say – as well as two analogous drinks, one each for agave and rice.

For instance, the espresso martini counterparts are similarly dessert-like. Meow Now Brown Cow features tequila, banana cordial, vanilla cream, sherry and aromatic bitters.

The rice option – its image-only name consisting of pineapple, coffee and fire emojis – is closer to a tiki cocktail: coffee liqueur, jackfruit, homemade cinnamon and pineapple cordial, charteuse and coconut cream, with a base of Ceylon Arrack and overproof rum.

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Given the bar’s focus, it’s unsurprising that the cocktails are crafted to showcase the spirits themselves. “Our philosophy when creating cocktails is that the spirit shines,” says Vida. “You should be able to taste alcohol when drinking cocktails.”

Agave spirits tend to have a “vegetal grassiness”, with notes of smoke or citrus; rice spirits might have more of a malty flavour, pairing well with spices.

“For a lot of people, it’s going to be their first introduction (to rice spirits),” notes Vida. While rice wine is familiar in the form of Japanese sake, rice spirits are not as well known.

One gateway spirit may be Tokki Soju, which features in several cocktails. Aged in bourbon barrels, it provides “a way to connect with whisky drinkers”, he adds.

Despite the spirit-focused nature of the drinks, a few are available in non-alcoholic form “to make the experience of Cat Bite inclusive”, says Vida.

Those who want to explore the spirits further, meanwhile, can try curated flights of three pours each, for tequila, mezcal or rice spirits respectively. For tequila, there’s a further choice between a flight with different “age statements”, or a premium flight of aged tequilas.

Or choose directly from the extensive spirits list – dominated by mezcals and tequilas, but featuring the usual other categories too, from gin and vodka to rum and whiskey. Besides soju and shochu, the rice spirits include a selection of baijiu.

The food menu is much briefer, but stays true to theme: tostadas for the Latin American connection, and fusion bao with fillings such as potato salad, chilli chicken, and beef.

Cat Bite Margarita

40ml Codigo 1530 Blanco tequila 10ml Siete Misterios Espadin mezcal 10ml Cointreau 5ml Amontillado sherry 15ml agave nectar 30ml fresh citrus blend 3 drops saline