/ Reviews
He Who Dares to Try It All
by Rob Wallace
on Friday, September 09, 2011 12:00 AM
Shanghai is a city where unique ideas are not only born, but also made manifest. When Korean mixologist Brian Kay came to Shanghai in order to assist in creating the concept for new fusion venue Bello'Co, the free license to try something novel eventually enticed him into becoming the director of operations.
Mr. Kay's illustrious CV includes five years as a restaurant general manager, over three years managing one of Korea's top nightclubs, and extensive experience as a Grey Goose representative. All of this time in the industry has blessed him with world-class bartending skills and a special knack for martini making (I strongly suggest his Jasmine citrus variety made with Smirnoff, fresh grapefruit and jasmine infusion).
As with the rest of Bello'Co, the concept behind the lounge is to be as versatile as possible. Guests are to feel as if they can come in for an afternoon latte, stick around for dinner and then invite their friends in for evening cocktails. Bello'Co's ambiance comes off as both modern (the menus are presented on iPads) and artistic (a spiral staircase wraps around an indoor tree), however, it also seems to be lacking a certain passion.
Using Bello'Co's cavernous, concrete interior, Brian Kay plans to host a myriad of events, ranging from art exhibits and DJ shows to networking events and mimosa brunches. However, even after nine months of operation, Bello'Co still seems like a venue searching for its true identity.
While the management and concept are top notch, Bello'Co may be spreading itself too thin to compete with the upper crust of Shanghai's competitive lounge culture.
