To Infinity & Beyond

To infinity and beyond

In 2024, it was ranked 61st in Asia's top 50 bars.

Anyone who has seen Toy Story will recognize the name of this bar, which is a reference to Buzz Lightyear's classic line "To infinity and beyond." This bar is located in a quiet alley on Section 1 of Daan Road, near Zhongxiao Fuxing. From the outside, it looks very low-key, but once you step inside, you are greeted by a sci-fi styled hallway before entering the bar itself.

Today, I enjoyed a space fried platter, cosmic double egg noodles, Σ(GALAXY), Watermelon^3, LYCHEE*𝝅r^2, √Red = berry x tomato, Mon, and a cola, totaling 3360 TWD.

Space Fried Platter:

French fries + chicken strips + fried Hiroshima oysters.

Accompanying the fried platter were eye-catching utensils and a mix of ketchup and yellow mustard. The fries were very crispy. The chicken strips, even though fried, still had juice (handle with care as it’s hot). The fried Hiroshima oysters were sweet and hot all the way through (also handle with care as it’s hot). In short, don’t rush; otherwise, you’ll be both enjoying the taste and saying "ouch, it’s hot."

Cosmic Double Egg Noodles:

Century egg + sous-vide soft-boiled egg + noodles + dry chili flakes.

“I see you have chicken eggs in the sous-vide machine at the bar?"
"Yes! Those are the ingredients for our Cosmic Double Egg Noodles on the menu!"
“Then please give me a serving.”

The taste was slightly spicy, the portion was just right, and it was topped with some dry chili and spice mix. When the century egg and soft-boiled egg were mixed into the noodles, the rich egg yolk and spices adhered beautifully to the perfectly textured noodles, a delight that pairs well with drinks or is filling enough on its own. The texture and flavor were both amazing.

Σ(GALAXY):

Gin + lavender + jasmine + violet + cucumber + cedar wood.

Before the drink arrived, there was a small visual treat.

A lit coaster holding a martini glass with a thin layer of fruit jam on the bottom, while the bartender slowly poured liquid nitrogen, allowing the peach-scented jam to gradually melt and release its aroma over time.

Just by smelling the cocktail, I could detect a very harmonious floral fragrance, not overwhelming, but rather pleasantly surprising— "Wow, this cocktail smells so good I wish I could wear it." As you sip, the violet jam at the bottom slowly swirls into the drink, making it feel like holding a cloud in a cup, satisfying the name's evocation of nebulae and galaxies, while tasting refreshingly light and not overly sweet.

This can be described as a cocktail full of color, aroma, and flavor, perfect for those who enjoy floral scents, hitting a sweet spot.

Watermelon^3:

Watermelon slush + gin + jasmine + Japanese yuzu + coconut salt rim + mint leaf garnish.

The bartender explained that it’s called "cubed" because it uses three pieces of watermelon ice to make the slush, aiming to provide guests with that refreshing feeling of eating watermelon. The watermelon flavor is pronounced, with hints of jasmine and Japanese yuzu, not overly sweet, providing a very light and refreshing sip. There was also a subtle hint of mint, almost cooling the palate.

LYCHEE*𝝅r^2:

Gin + tequila + Pingtung cocoa tea + lychee + sake.

Seeing the lychee, I initially thought it would be very sweet, but surprisingly, it was deep and carried a slight bitterness—not to say it wasn't sweet, but there was an illusion of sweetness turning bitter in its depth. The base spirit also added an herbal hint, creating a layered experience, not just a straightforward fruit sweetness. The glowing coaster and the ice printed with the bar's name were pretty cool.

√Red = berry x tomato:

Gin + strawberries + cherry tomatoes + mustard + oolong tea + ham.

When I saw the mustard and cherry tomatoes, I knew what to expect. When it arrived, I saw it was garnished with ham on the glass, and the bartender mentioned it was inspired by a Bloody Mary, which I could definitely tell. It reminded me of a Japanese Bloody Mary, sweet and richly flavored, with a delightful strawberry aroma mixed with the fragrance of oolong tea, yet the addition of mustard offered a small punch to the nasal passages, reminiscent of a quirky Gothic Lolita—sweet one moment and mischievous the next, but cute either way.

Mon:

Compared to the creatively crafted cocktails, this is a standard non-alcoholic drink. It is garnished with rosemary, providing a refreshing bubble flavor reminiscent of lemons and citrus.

Overall, this is a bar that excels in theme, food, and cocktails. Each menu item is rich with the essence of "science, technology, and sci-fi," while managing to retain the most fundamental value of deliciousness amidst all the limitless creativity.

I look forward to this bar breaking into the ranking of Asia's top 50 bars. Currently, its closest position is 52nd in 2023.

Highly recommended for everyone!