Cocktail of the Month: Zimplex’s ‘The Trip’
By • March 11, 2025 0 146
Is it a cocktail? An art installation? A science experiment? What is this glowing, psychedelic, lava-lamp-looking illumination in front of me?
These are a few of the questions I asked myself while visiting Zimplex, an unassuming bar in Phuket town, the main city on Thailand’s famed resort island.
As a thrill-seeking traveler, I ventured to Phuket to see the mind-defying spectacle of the graphic Nine Emperor Gods Festival, which involved firewalking and processions of devotees seemingly painlessly impaled with objects like umbrellas, swords and numerous skewers. After witnessing these jaw-dropping spectacles, I didn’t think there was much left to awe me on this isle.
Officially known as Zimplex Mixology Laboratory, the space resembles a science fiction movie set, with its darkness, beaming backlit bottles and spaceship vibe. Tom Auttayatamavittaya, the owner/bartender, looked like a futuristic Thai Ric Ocasek, the late lead singer of the Cars.
Tom and Zimplex are known for combing art, science and liquor with a magic show to create a drinking experience like no other.
When I arrived, there were a few people ahead of me, so I carefully watched as Tom worked his mojo. I could hear the “oohs” and “aahs” of the customers while the wizard meticulously conjured up mythical concoctions from his tray of eyedroppers and scientific instruments. From my end of the bar, I could spy gleaming tie-dye hues swimming in the luminous sea of a translucent tipple.
“How?” I asked. With the allure and mystery of Willy Wonka, Tom said his craft was creating art in a scientific way.
He explained that it was all about density, which allowed him to carefully arrange the different mixers in an orchestrated way. “We are just hacking the density laws to create such a visual inside the glass.”
Each ingredient is carefully mixed and curated (that’s the reason for the eyedroppers). Without giving away too many secrets, he talked about how liqueurs and fruit syrups were higher in density than spirits like vodka and gin. By individually combining these various elements, he is able to create a custom palette of mixers.
As for the lively colors that popped like fireworks, he acknowledged that the bar’s lighting scheme, which includes illumination from below and above, adds to the drama.
So, without hesitation, I requested a drink to impress. Tom earnestly went to work with the precision of a brain surgeon. He proceeded to add three different liquids to my glass, using a spoon to layer them. Although all were clear and no specific divisions could be seen, I could tell there was a method behind these steps.
Next came the visual elements. Using one of eyedroppers in his arsenal, he slowly dribbled a bright yellow orb that looked like a sun. After that, he leaked a few blood-red droplets, followed by green and blue. The result was something that looked like a molecule made of brilliantly hued atoms. He repeated this process, creating two more glistening patchwork spheres of color. These three kaleidoscopic balls lined up neatly in a row to create a stunning picture.
But wait, Tom told me the name of this shooter was “The Trip.” It was time for these tabs to start their journey. Soon the balls began to break apart, some in giant mushroom-shaped domes and others in thin pinheaded spores. The dazzling colors looked like a swirling rainbow of liquid motion, reminding me of the “Magic Rocks” I had as a child.
Was this an alien landscape from an undiscovered planet or an underwater seascape with florescent jellyfish and radioactive coral? As I pondered these conundrums, Tom motioned for me to drink up.
I was initially worried that something this showy would either taste unpleasant or too sweet, since the color scheme looked sugary to me. However, I was quite surprised to find a balanced flavor, not too strong or cloying. Tom clued me in that Thai ginger was an element he used to balance the flavor. It was refreshing, not too heavy and pleasantly satisfying.
The longer I stayed at Zimplex, the more questions popped into my head as I sampled more otherworldly creations. But like watching a professional magician pull off some incredible feat — and not wanting to spoil the wonder — I decided some things in Phuket are better left to the imagination.
