Fabien Marcault from Savage Lounge
Savage Lounge may only be seven months old, but this exciting venue is already among Hanoi’s best late night spots.
There are numerous reasons for this.
The threadbare, metallic interior is a celebration of Oriental design, combining elements of Western influence. The dance room features a centrally-located DJ booth and the Funktion 1 sound system, known to provide the very best nightclub acoustics. The club’s discerning music selection makes it stand out from other clubs in Hanoi. And then there’s Fabien Marcault, who brings to bear well over a decade of mixology experience
to deliver some of the most exciting and well-crafted cocktails around.
“The most beautiful things can happen just because I do my job,” says Fabien. “When people leave with a smile, that keeps me going. It’s all about giving love.”
During the earlier phase of his mixology career, Fabien worked in London under the world-famous Maestro, Italian bartender Salvatore Calabrese. “He taught me that a barman makes your drink, but a bartender makes your night,” says Fabien, whose philosophy on mixology centres on discipline. A good education and a proclivity for a gentlemanly demeanour is a given, but the discipline required to keep learning is everything.
“When you put your uniform on, it’s like a show; but you still have to be efficient, so I always teach my bartenders not to show off. Just learn, learn and learn… It’s like the army; you’ve got to be clean, be on time and don’t drink,” he says. “Open a book, or these days the internet and YouTube can help you learn most of the job. Just keep learning.”
“It’s like the army; you’ve got to be clean, be on time and don’t drink”
“I’ll keep experimenting with local ingredients, like pomelo, ô mai
(dried fruit) and limes”
Since moving to Vietnam, Fabien has been impressed by the speed with which the bar scene is expanding. While Ho Chi Minh City is still well in the lead with the quantity and diversity of bars, Fabien sees Hanoi catching up fast.
“There are cocktail competitions, new products coming in and people are getting more passionate all the time,” says Fabien. “It’s so good to have young Vietnamese bartenders working with me.”
While their parents may push them to study and get a so-called high quality job, Fabien
is seeing more young Vietnamese who are rock ‘n’ roll; they want to drink, go out, meet people and expand themselves.
Fabien worked in Hong Kong for five years. He thought he knew Asian tastes; until he arrived in Hanoi.
“People seem to prefer a more bitter taste here. Look at the coffee, it’s hard, strong and bitter,” he says, “so I’ll keep experimenting with local ingredients, like pomelo, ô mai
(dried fruit) and limes.”
Another local product making an impression on Fabien, is Son Tinh Original Ruou.
“It’s an amazing local product; there aren’t many spirits from Vietnam that can travel abroad,” says Fabien. “People’s responses are always good when they see a local product in their cocktail.”
He’s both impressed and intimidated by the huge variety of Son Tinh flavours available. “The fragrant sticky rice is good for cocktails; whereas the ladies like the apricot variety on the rocks,” suggests Fabien.
Two of Fabien’s best original creations, however, find their roots in Hong Kong.
“The first one is quite fruity and refreshing, but with a good hit of spice,” he says. “It’s called Hot Feelings.”
He brings the sour notes of lemongrass and lemon juice together with fresh watermelon
juice and vodka. The whole thing is sweetened with a touch of honey syrup, and the spicy side is courtesy of Thai red chili.
(On Son Tinh) “The fragrant sticky rice is good for cocktails; whereas the ladies like the apricot variety on the rocks”
His second original creation is the Zen Cha, invented during his time as bar manager of Salvatore at Maison Eight, in Hong Kong.
“It’s got matcha powder, aromatic bitters, apple and pineapple juices, honey and pineapple syrups, and vodka infused with a 48 hour soak of Thai basil,” he explains.
The finished product is a deep, vivid green; with a complex flavour profile ranging from tropical and sweet, to the umami-like taste of green tea.
Just like the best art, it’s guaranteed to divide opinion; but we love it.
Like Son Tinh and the spirit of Ruou, Fabien is all about learning and moving forwards, combining traditional techniques and ingredients with his more contemporary ideas and recipes.
We welcome Fabien Marcault to the Son Tinh family of mixologists.
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