Lush House

Lush House is very well set up for those that like to get sloshed. And if the name doesn't give it away, the loud scrum of upscale locals getting merrily hammered definitely does.

In fact, most nights the bar feels like a party space – though you wouldn't have guessed it from the florid sofas and antique lamps. It has a vibe reminiscent of when you used to throw house parties at your parents' house while they were out of town. That's great when you're 16; not so much now. We only wish they could decide what exactly they're trying to do here. Lush House feels like it was set up to be an elegant cocktail lounge, but ended up as a boisterous party hangout.

The soundtrack of loud hip-hop tunes that were playing the night we went clash horribly with the venue's jazz stylings. And although the antique-looking wooden furniture looks nice enough, it's uncomfortable and not well suited to catching up with an old pal over a glass. This is a bar with an identity crisis.

Though the bartenders look dapper, good looks plus an inventory of top booze does not equal good drinks – something that's painfully obvious here. While they're eager to please, good luck expecting anything more than a baseline standard. Our drink recommendation from the bartender? A gin and tonic. Sigh. When we ask for some of the more complicated cocktails on the menu, they tell us they don't know how to make them.

To their credit, the staff are certainly able to reproduce simple cocktail mainstays with pride. Our whiskey sour (80RMB) came with fresh cinnamon grated on top and the dry martini (80RMB) was solid – the olives gently washed in extra vermouth. The gratis bowl of lychee that arrives at the table was also an unexpected classy touch.

For some reason, most of the regulars seem to avoid the cocktails. It could be the prohibitively expensive prices for just-okay drinks, but most likely it's because bottle service reigns supreme here. This is a traditionally Chinese-style party bar in every way: rambunctious, uninspiring and forgettable. Despite the obvious flaws, though, we have no doubt this place will be a hit – it's inoffensive and in a central location. We were hoping for more, though.