Tucked away in a sweet little spot downtown, a hidden gem has been quietly collecting fans and foodies for the past several months. We had been hearing (and adding to) the buzz about the delicacies coming out of the kitchen and figured it was time to shine some light on the boozy beverages at Sum Bar for our latest TALKGreenville drinkin’ adventure!! Khailing Neoh, owner and brains behind this big hit, has the restaurant business in her blood and old family recipes in her head…so Sum Bar was an almost inevitable leap of faith that has worked out famously!!

Sam and Remington were whipping things up behind the bar and filled us in on (and let us sample) some of the house favorites…

The Basil River

This mildly sweet and sour cocktail is made with Ming River Baijiu, a new spirit for us! A bold, clear Chinese liquor distilled from fermented sorghum, this particular Baijiu offers notes of pineapple and anise with a lingering finish. Paired in this creation with lemon and basil, a delectable delight is delivered to patrons’ parched palates.  This one will make your tastebuds curious with its layered, striking flavor.

The Soft Focus

Don’t we all look better with a soft focus?  Drumshanbo Gunpowder, an Irish gin with oriental notes, is combined with Bols Genever (another new one for us), Poire William brandy and a spritz of Cocchi Aperitivo Americano to create the smoothest, softest gin martini we’ve had to date! The aperitifs soften the edges of the two distinctive gins without masking their unique flavors. Savor this one while waiting for an order of Khailing’s absolutely divine dumplings!

Sake it to Me!

We admit that we are not Sake aficionados so we requested professional recommendations for a starter duo in this department.

Our tasting began with the We Sake, a premium Japanese sake in a cute little can! The taste here is that familiar, traditional “sake” without being overpowering. Rounded out with ginger, melon and sweet rice, this elixir was crisp, smooth, and delightfully easy to drink.

Our second sipper was the Joto Yuzu, a very easy-drinking sake. This one tastes like an elevated and sophisticated hard lemonade with hints of key lime, mandarin orange and lemon providing the ideal balance of acid and sweet. Suddenly, we LOVE sake!!

A big heart and open arms…

Ohio-native Khailing’s hospitality is epic…proving that life-long southerners don’t have the corner on that market! From offering “Tiny Bubbles” (a small “while you wait” pour of their house brut) on the menu to bringing in fellow food & bev entrepreneurs to share her space during off-hours, Khailing gives everyone the “warm & fuzzies”. We went back to check out Coffee Coffee, a much-touted local coffee purveyor operating in the Sum Bar space each morning (except Sundays) and found Khailing there enjoying a delicious morning brew. AND…she loves offering the space up for private parties (baby showers, birthdays…) on the off-hours as well!

Reserve now…you will thank us!!

Sum Bar . 307 E Washington Street . Greenville . (864)860-1004 . EatSumBar.com

By Alex Burgamy and Angi Einstein . TheRareBelle.com