I’d heard whisperings of the best deal in Jing’an, and so last Thursday I headed down to Downstairs with David Laris to check out the drink specials myself. Turns out, the gossip was good as “Jing’an Thursdays” turned out to be one more reason to get sauced mid-week. Kiss Natural Vodka Cocktails are poured with an extremely heavy hand for a mere RMB25 while a DJ spins the latest tracks, delicious snacks fly out of the kitchen and a barrage of disturbingly interesting multimedia images projects on to the wall. After a cocktail or two, you’ll completely forget about that looming Friday morning meeting. And if you’re still stressing, order up the octopus salad, shrimp cocktail with a Downstairs twist, or tiramisu (or all three) for a delectable distraction

Besides being exceptionally strong and surprisingly tasty, the cocktails come with an entertaining story. Kiss Natural is a new vodka brand created by an Aussie and German in Inner Mongolia. These ambitious souses found a promising little oasis in the middle of the desert that they deemed perfect for distilling the white liquor and also growing the fruits that add flavour to the fruity vodka. I was told 1.5 kilos of raspberries were used to create the flavoured vodka in the Raspberry Mule (a cheeky rendering of the Moscow Mule). After downing several of the drinks, I’ll take them at their word, because darn it, they were yummy.

My liver cringed while my wallet celebrated the news that the weekend deals at Downstairs are equally intoxicated. “Beer O’Clock” on Fridays starts at 4 pm and selected beers go for RMB 25, “Frozen Margies Saturdays” help beat the heat with frozen Mexican cocktails at RMB 25 from 3 pm and weekend warriors can finish up their binge with RMB 50 pitchers and other drink specials all day at the “Sunday Drink Fest”. Cheers!