The Gatsby-esque (for real this time) bar is one of the grandest openings of 2017. Housed in the ground floor lobby of handsome, OTT Art Deco building just across Bugis Junction, known by many as “that Gotham City building” or “the Hunger Games’ capitol headquarters”, Atlas has taken over the premises of once revered Divine Wine Bar Society (remember the wine fairy who’d hoist herself up to grab a bottle in the tower?). It’s got some serious pedigree and looks nothing short of amazing.
The bar is a product of two years worth of planning. Keeping in line with the design ethos of the Art Deco period to recreate the European grand lobbies of the ‘20s, Atlas features gawk-worthy details, using a palette of gold, bronze and deep red and intricate motifs throughout the bar. They’ve created cozy spaces for patrons to sit down and enjoy their time here, using a mix of modern tufted leather sofas, luxurious fabric single chairs and mood lighting fixtures that are strategically placed around the seating areas.
Heading the bar are the talented duo of Roman Foltan, one of Forbes “30 Most Talented People Under 30” and Carla Davina Soares, both joining Atlas from London’s Artesian at The Langham, which won the World’s Best Bar award four consecutive times, so you know you’re in good hands.
Complementing the razzle-dazzle of the space is the centerpiece three-storey high tower/chiller, which houses one of the world’s most diverse and comprehensive collection of gin curated by Master of Gin Jason Williams, ranging from 1910 London dry gins to some of the finest modern craft gins from around the world. They have more than 1,000 labels, in fact. Beneath it is a custom-built walk-in room with Atlas’ collection of 250 different labels of Champagne, some of which have been selected from the cellar of the building’s owners, the Hwang family. One of the main stars from the collection is the legendary 1907 Heidsieck & Co. Monopole “Gout American”. This particular bottle was salvaged in 1998 from a ship called The Jonkoping off the coast of Finalnd, where it was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1916 while was en route to the Russian Imperial Army in St Petersburg. This particular bottle was salvaged in 1998 from a ship called The Jonkoping that was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1916 when it was en route to the Russian Imperial Army in St Petersburg. It went up for auction and was purchased at a whooping $275,000.
But besides sipping on fancy cocktails and Champagne that has sat at the bottom of the ocean for 80 years, there’s also some light European-influenced dishes and canapes you can munch on throughout the day, and some bar snacks towards the night, all of which were researched and created by chef Daniele Sperindio (formerly of Open Door Policy).
