This cool Cape Town bar is redefining the cocktail

Charis Le Riche tries one of the Mother City's hottest new cocktail bars

Having only launched in December 2015, Outrage of Modesty (OoM) has already firmly established itself as the place to be seen.

Hidden away on Shortmarket Street, Cape Town’s latest cool-kid spot, OoM has become exceptionally popular.

Well, the guys behind it know a thing or two about cool. That’s because it is brought to you by Alliance Brands, the brains behind House of Machines located conveniently right next-door. The cocktail menu is conceptualised by Luke “The Wookie” Whearty from renowned bar Operation Dagger in Singapore.

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The focus of the cocktail bar is on the experience and taste, which is why you won’t find any branding in the joint. As explained by barman Devin Cross who heads up the bar in Luke’s stead, “People have been dictated to what is good and what they should drink. People need to have an open mind, which is what we’re all about.”

First up is an amuse-bouche of watermelon compressed with sweet vermouth and rooibos, with added sea salt and wild buchu – a nice treat to awaken the taste buds before I jump into the cocktails.

Devin whips up the moreish Caperitif: made from locally produced Caperitif Vermouth (which has incredible fynbos flavours that shine through): naartjie and honey topped with soda and some buchu garnish. It’s perfect for the summer heat.

Next I try out the Shampanje (apricot, vanilla, pear and poppy), which is made beforehand and bottled in adorable mini-bottles.

Before I head off Devin gives me a sample of the Chocberry Pinotage, a Pinotage with compressed berries and raw cocoa, which is strangely comforting and surprising.

So what’s my verdict? I’m a little obsessed. I love the whole redefining of how we see cocktails and that everything is prepped beforehand so there are no long waits. “We need to change our perception of what a cocktail is and what a cocktail looks like. There is more to life than a mojito,” says Devin. Don’t worry, though, if they have the ingredients they’ll make it for you, but with their own spin on it.

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Expect OoM to change with the seasons. Every three months the cocktail menus, and what they are printed on, are changed – at the moment the menus are printed on stunning wood blocks. Even the barmen’s aprons and the back mural are changed. That way the establishment stays fresh and always surprises you. Call 021-422-2902.

This article was originally published in one of the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.