(That's Shanghai)
Updated: 2007-11-23 11:57

After repeated exposure to a rainbow of frothy, fruity cocktails, even the city's most dedicated drinkers might grow weary of experimentation. When this happens, it's time to return to the classics.

The Negroni harkens back to a simpler era-when men opened doors for ladies, couples dressed for dinner and the flavor of alcohol was savored in its own right. At Dolce & Gabbana Martini Bar, Fergus MacDougall and his staff of impeccably dressed, impossibly gracious bartenders pour this timeless Italian aperitivo with equal parts gin, Campari and Martini Rosso.

The drink is best shaken vigorously over ice, poured into an old-fashioned glass and garnished with a simple orange wedge. For a lighter variation on this cocktail, you might add two parts club soda. But in a dining scene full of molecular curiosities and nouvelle adventures, we prefer our pre-dinner drinks simple, strong and steeped in tradition.

Dolce and Gabbana
Location: 1/F, 6 Zhongshandong Yi Lu near Guangdong Lu
Tel: 021-63390268