Problem Child is a speakeasy with a “House Problem” concept, where a giant LED wall and themed cocktails change color every three months, creating an immersive, color-driven experience.
On April 6, the nondescript bar’s luxurious purple has turned into a relaxing green, a telltale sign that a new cocktail menu is ripe and ready to be explored. It’s the third time they have changed ‘seasons’; the first being orange. And if the balanced and vibrant drinks I enjoyed so much late last year were any indication of this speakeasy’s capabilities, I’m quite confident that their latest roster would be at par, if not better.
Walking into the “green room” can be a bit disorienting, given the instant change in mental bearing—from a drab parking lot decorated with city noise to a dim and dramatic space dressed in a single color, hummed conversations, and R&B music. It’s not a detriment though, but a most welcome alteration, the type that would make you want to linger longer. Fortunately, the cocktails give you the license to do just that.
Drinks that use green ingredients
The drinks—as well as the room’s vibe—is dictated by the current color of choice. And for the “grounded” hue, Problem Child has produced 9 guests can choose from. There’s the Chartreuse?, a tangy concoction composed of pickle brine, versus, and gin; and the Emerald, which is an intoxicating mix of mint distillate, rum, cacao butter and oat fermented with koji.
Before settling with my two preferences, Okane was strongly in the running as the blend of sake, wasabi and muscat grapes read really inviting. In the end, I decided to order the Chikorita and Forest, not realizing that they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to taste, consequently making for a good progression.
The former is a fruity sour drink made of three green ingredients—sitcharo or snow peas, green apple and genmaicha, spiked with bourbon. It’s pretty smooth, light and earthy with a subtle tang. And it leaned more on savory than sweet, which is how I like my cocktails.
And then there’s the Forest, fashioned like a dry martini. It’s a potent bee of gin, a forest distillate and an herby vermouth made in house. Vegetal comes to mind right from the first sip, and it packs a powerful punch, the type that a single order can already set a lightweight up for the night.
Though obviously different, both are downright delicious, enough for me to bravely claim that, whatever you choose, you won’t go wrong.
Problem Child is located at Unit 107 G/F, 369, Executive Building, Jupiter, Makati City.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bar changes the color of its light panel and interior glow; for its latest “natural” season, the previous purple lighting was replaced with a relaxing green.
Guests move from a “drab parking lot” filled with city noise into a dim, dramatic green space characterized by R&B music and hummed conversations.
The Chikorita is a fruity, savory sour drink made using sitcharo (snow peas), green apple, and genmaicha, all spiked with bourbon.
Fashioned like a dry martini, it is a potent mix of gin, forest distillate, and house-made herby vermouth that the author claims could set up a “lightweight” for the entire night.
The bar is located at Unit 107 G/F, 369 Executive Building, Jupiter St., Makati City, and the new menu features 9 different cocktails.
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