New York speakeasy PDT pops up in Barcelona

New York speakeasy PDT (Please Don’t Tell) is popping up at the Banker’s Bar at The Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona for the month of September.

PDT’s Jim Meehan and Jeff Bell

The project, in collaboration with Diageo World Class, will see the hotel bar made over to look like the New York original, which was named World’s Best Bar at Tales of the Cocktail in 2009.

The phone used to gain access to the bar

Dubbed “PDT BCN”, guests will enter the bar via a phone booth in a hat tip to the entrance of PDT in New York’s East Village, which is hidden behind a vintage phone booth at hot dog joint Crif Dogs.

Manning the shakers will be PDT founder Jim Meehan, general manager Jeff Bell and bartender Adam Schmidt, who will recreate the bar’s signature sips.

Among them will be the Gold Rush, made with Powers Gold Label, honey syrup and lemon juice, and the Pearl of Puebla, which blends mescal, lime juice, Yellow Chartreuse, fresh oregano and pastis.

In addition to cocktails, expect hip hot dogs created by leading chefs, from El Celler de Can Roca’s Joan Roca, Albert Adrià of Tickets in Barcelona, seven Michelin star female chef Carme Ruscadella and Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio.

“We’re bringing the world’s best cocktails to Barcelona, the best barmen, and some of the greatest chefs in Spain, which will give the hot dog an exciting local and international twist for foodies, while supporting a great cause,” said the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona’s general manager Greg Liddell.

A PDT pop-up bar was created at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong in January and others have been hosted in Paris, Tokyo and Melbourne, each adapted to its host city. PDT BCN will be open Tuesday to Saturday throughout the month of September.