Adam Devermann has been a bartender from the age of 18 and launched the Shanghai leg of his mixology career at Velvet Lounge, before snatching up Best Bartender honours around the city. Now he’s managing mesa | manifesto, giving us another reason to flock to one of the city’s breeziest terraces. TALK pulled up a bar stool with the Connecticut native to find out whether he prefers his Shanghai shaken or stirred.

I’d rather be… behind the bar.

It’s a bad day in Shanghai when... you are refused a dish that you eat every week because the restaurant assures you it doesn’t exist even though you have ordered it before and it consists of rice and the two other ingredients that are in every other dish on the menu.

The Chinese phrase I use too much is... not sure about the Chinese, but I’ve been brushing up on my Chinglish.

My favourite bite in Shanghai is… honestly, the honey goat cheese at mesa | manifesto. I am also extremely partial anything that comes out of the kitchen at Jing’an restaurant.

The perfect night in Shanghai is... an entertaining DVD, a couch long enough to lay on, good company and food delivered to the door. After working long, hard hours, little pleasures like those never get old.

I want... more craft spirits to come to Shanghai because the public and its barmen are currently being deprived of some very tasty liquid libations.

The one thing all Shanghai residents should know is... the address of mesa | manifesto.

My China pet peeve is… people with little to no volume control on their voice.

The most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen on the streets of Shanghai is… the guy whose bike becomes a 10 by 15 foot box of Styrofoam, made of leftovers from the local wet market.  

If I could change one thing about Shanghai, it would be the… availability of taxis on a rainy day.

Shanghai is to Beijing as... a Manhattan cocktail is to a bowl of punch.

The one thing Shanghai is missing is… real beaches and blue water.

My desert island drink is… a Corpse Reviver #2.

The meaning of life is… passion, following your bliss. I have a degree in economics and finance but I choose to do what continuously generates excitement within me instead of something that doesn’t.

mesa | manifesto, 748 Julu Lu, near Fumin Lu. Tel: 6289 9108,

Web: www.mesa-manifesto.com