Bar & Bites: Korean cocktail king SeongHa Lee brings decades of delicious drinks to city izakaya Papi Katsu

Regulars at Papi Katsu will notice a new face behind the neon-lit bar alongside cocktail king Eoin Kenny.

That’s because Korean-born international bar champion SeongHa Lee is showing off his skills at the hugely popular underground izakaya in the city for the next few months.

SeongHa has more than two decades experience and has crafted cocktails for the likes of Sting and Shaquille O’Neal — and now it’s Perth’s turn.

The former computer engineer’s crowning achievement came in 2018 when he won the International Bartenders Association’s top gong.

Benny Tua, from Papi Katsu operators, Sesh Mafia, told Bar & Bites that SeongHa earned his stripes working at bars in Japan, where cocktail culture is an art form.

The bartender is “uniquely qualified to impart the techniques and principles of Japanese bartending to Perth’s hospitality scene”, Tua declared.

SeongHa adds: “It’s my first time in Australia and I’m thrilled to bring my craft to such an open and welcoming city”. Cheers to that.

NEW FOUND LANDS

The Sans Pants Group behind Si Paradiso in Highgate, El Grotto in Scarborough and the FOUND. Lab brewpub in Byford are poised to open another microbrewery in the former home of Golden West in Subiaco.

Director of hospitality James Pedlow says they’ve greened up the Hay Street location, which will pour local beer legend Will Irving’s “amazing brews” alongside cocktails and wines.

Proudly WA pub fare comes courtesy of former Phat Brew Club chef Ian Macintosh, who brings years of experience working in London gastropubs to a “modern Australian take that highlights our best local produce”.

Pedlow adds that the Sans Pants team aims to create a “really good pub” at the flagship venue for the Found brand.

Irving will brew core range beers in the Subi brewpub and make more experimental and higher alcohol releases in Byford, which is “ticking along nicely” catering to a loyal local following. The beers will be shared across the two venues, plus Found’s pop-up in Maylands.

Pedlow concedes that hospitality in Subiaco has had it tough in recent years, albeit with some shining lights. Given the number of people living and working in the area, he’s “quietly confident” that he will launch what will be a successful pub in late November. Cheers to that.

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND DRINK IT

Award-winning Victorian distillery Starward has wheeled out a whisky inspired by panettone, the Italian cake popular around Christmas.

Starward’s Panettone is made by finishing its popular Two-Fold Whisky in Australian tawny barrels for up to two years to create a well-rounded festive fling offering sticky raisin, candied fruit, citrus and almond notes. Reckon a cake soaked in this stuff would be fair dinkum bellissimo.

Taking inspiration from the panettone made by Starward founder David Vitale’s mother, this indulgent drop retails for $99 and comes in a colourful gift box.

‘Tis the season and, you guessed it, cheers to that.