Some friends and I were enjoying excellent drinks at a Taichung cocktail bar when we asked the head bartender where he liked to go for a cocktail. He immediately suggested that we try ANTI, a favorite of his. Intrigued, I later headed over to its address in the Fengjia shopping district and had to search a bit before spotting its very low-profile entrance—a black curving wood wall with a tiny recessed sign and dark arched doorway. Inside, the compact 20-seat premises had a Japanese-inspired modern, minimalist speakeasy ambiance, including the bar, a couple tables and six-person private area, all decorated in black, grey and white shades.
Co-owner Klaus Chang noted the color scheme was inspired by black-and-white photography, an interest of fellow owner Nicolas Yu. Friends for about 16 years since high school, the two decided to combine their respective restaurant and bar working backgrounds to open ANTI, whose name reflects their maverick personalities, in late 2022.
Their backgrounds also merge in 11 signature cocktails (NT$380-450), inspired by Asian and western food, drinks and flavors. Drinks change about once a year and popular items in the current lineup include Lemon Iced Coffee × Asakawa, a Klaus invention rooted in the Lemon Iced Coffee at Central District's Asakawa Studio cafe, whose dark-roast coffee is used in the drink together with Mr. Black coffee liqueur and ANTI's homemade limoncello. Another top-
The bar's namesake reflects the two owners' refusal to be confined by conventional thinking about cocktail bar operations. Their professional background shows consistently at their 11 signature cocktails (NT$380-450), each blending Asian and Western drinking cultures, flavors, and ingredients.
The cocktail menu updates annually. The current best-seller is Lemon Iced American-style Mojito, created by Klaus and inspired by lemonade from Asakawa Studio cafe. The house cocktail uses deep-roasted coffee from Asakawa Studio combined with Mr. Black coffee liqueur and ANTI's house-made Italian lemon liqueur (Limoncello), layered to express coffee aromatics.
Another popular drink is a Gin Fizz variation called Mint Yogurt, made with Malfy Con Limone premium Italian gin, yogurt and mint, mixed and left overnight for 24 hours.
Other food-inspired cocktails include Nicolas creation, ANTI Brunch Set with mezcal, hazelnut, blood orange, bacon and lemon, topped with Sansho leaf and mini-toast garnish; the slightly bitter Herbal Grass Jelly Tea made with Guinness stout beer; savory-sweet Japanese Curry; and dessert-like AlcoHurry, enjoyed with a spoon.
Six tea-based "Tea-Tail" cocktails (NT$400-420) are also available, alongside seasonal fruit specials customizable by spirit choice, classic cocktails, and mocktails. The food menu is topped by ANTI's signature Braised Beef Noodles (NT$340) and includes Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken and Mixed Braised Platter.
The most popular appetizer is the signature Braised Beef Noodles (NT$340), complemented by crispy chicken and mixed braised platters.
我和朋友日前在台中一間雞尾酒吧享用調酒時，忍不住向酒師請教：「如果想喝一杯好調酒，你覺推薦去哪裡？」他幾乎不假思索地回答：「一定要去ANTI。」由於好奇，我後來依照地址來到達甲商圈，花了一點時間才找到它。店面十分低調，入口僅是一面黑色弧形木牆，上方貼著一塊小巧的招牌，搭配深色拱形門洞，若不仔細留意，很容易與它擦身而過。走進店內，約20個座位的空間散發濃厚的日式現代極簡Speakeasy酒吧氣圍，吧檯、幾張桌椅，以及一處可容納6人的半包廂，以黑、灰、白3種色調打造，簡潔卻極具質感。
共同創辦人張楚鵝（Klaus Chang）表示，店內的黑白配色靈感來自另一位共同創辦人余振揚（Nicolas Yu）熱愛的黑白攝影。兩人自高中時期相識，至今已有約16年的交情，並分別累積了餐廳與酒吧的工作經驗，最終決定攜手於2022年底創立ANTI。
酒吧名象徵兩人不受拘於空瓶框架的個性，也展現他們不隨波逐流的經營理念。
兩人的專業背景同樣展現在11款招牌調酒（380-450元）之中，每一杯都體亞洲與西方的飲食文化、風味與食材浪費感感。酒單約每年更新一次，目前最受歡迎的酒款之一是檸檬冰美式X淺川，由Klaus所創作，靈感來自中國Asakawa Studio咖啡館的檸檬冰咖啡。調酒選用Asakawa Studio的深烘咖啡，加入Mr. Black咖啡酒及ANTI自製的義式檸檬酒（Limoncello），層次豐富、充滿咖啡香氣。
另一款人氣酒品薄荷的優則是經典Gin Fizz的變化版，以義大利Malfy檸檬雞尾酒為基底，加入優格溶清與薄荷調製，混合後靜置24小時熟成，使風味更加圓潤清爽。
其他同樣含入驚豔、以料理為靈感的調酒，包括Nicolas創作的ANTI Brunch Set，以梅斯卡爾（Mezcal）烈酒搭配榛果、血橙、培根與檸檬，再覆上一層胡椒木葉，並以迷你吐司作為裝飾；微苦回甘的仙草凍，加入Guinness黑啤酒調製；鹹甜交織的日式咖啡；以及宛如甜點般、需用湯匙享用的好想吃冰炫風。
除了招牌調酒之外，店內還提供6款以茶為主題的Tea-Tail系列調酒（400-420元）、可依照顧客選擇客製化的季節水果特調、經典雞尾酒以及無酒精調酒。
餐點方面，最受歡迎的是招牌紅燒牛肉麵（340元），另有台式鹹酥雞與綜合滷味拼盤等下酒美食可供選擇。