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Le Chamber

Seoul

One of Seoul’s most famous speakeasies, getting into Le Chamber requires a little bit of detective work. Push the magical book in the reception area and a hidden door slides open to reveal a handsome bar with sunken lounge chairs set beneath glowing chandeliers. Your efforts to locate this dimly lit and achingly cool space will be rewarded by mellow live piano music and a drinks list populated by classic cocktails and inventive libations served with flair.

Play it safe with a cut glass tumbler of whisky from its selection of more than 200 from around the world or go bold with one of the signature cocktails. Try the Mori Kiri, a martini-style concoction that blends green tea, oolong tea, gin and sherry and is served in a square wooden cup surrounded by tendrils of smoke from a generous serve of dry ice; or opt for the signature Chamber Story, which blends spiced rum with tropical fruits, hazelnut and bitters and is served, suitably enough, inside a book. Owner-bartender Louis Eom now has a mini-empire of cocktail establishments across Seoul, but this original, open since 2014, remains the shining star.

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