Ginjinha Portugal's Cherry Liqueur

 

(This article first appeared online on 29th February on Live Mint, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/drink/ginjinha-cherry-liqueur-lisbon-portuguese-drink-111709175803184.html )

Christmas Drinks From Around The World

 

(This article first appeared online on 13th December 2023 on Live Mint and in print on 14th December in Mint newspaper India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/drink/christmas-warm-drinks-recipes-111702454917451.html)

10 Negroni's Across India

 

(This article first appeared both in print and online on 7th June 2023 in Mint Lounge, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/drink/negroni-cocktails-bars-restaurants-india-111686106997613.html)

Spiced Alcohol from Goa

 

(This article first appeared online on 17th October 2022 in Mint Lounge, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/drink/toast-to-the-festive-season-with-spiced-spirits-111665989693602.html)

Notes from Leh

 (This column first appeared in the 20th June 2021 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/notes-from-leh/article34849496.ece )

Unusual Summer Sips

This summer, why not cool down with these refreshing alcohol-free heat busters that have as their main ingredients a few unusual suspects? From dill and hibiscus to rhubarb and rooibos tea…take your pick!

By Raul Dias

Rhubarb in…
Rhubarbie Doll
Never mind the rather corny pun in its name, this summer drink celebrates a very unusual ingredient like rhubarb with great enthusiasm. Generally used in the west to make jams and dessert sauces, in this mocktail, the tart rhizome is first made into a pulp. A simple syrup of sugar and water is the base, to which diced rhubarb is added along with white wine vinegar to sharpen the flavour. This rhubarb pulp is then shaken with lemon juice, pineapple and cranberry juices and topped with ginger beer.  
At Olive Bar & Kitchen, 14 Union Park, Khar West.
Call 43408229
Cost Rs 220

Fennel and Dill in…
Fennel and Dill Fizz
Served in highball glass, this blushing pink summer cooler is a built-up drink that is the refreshing sum of its fennel stem, and dill leaf parts. Once muddled together, the fragrant, herbaceous mix is topped up with ginger ale, elder flower and cranberry juice and garnished with a dill frond. The main notes that dominate the drink are of fennel and dill, which are naturally sweet in flavour, herbaceous in aroma and extremely zesty.
At Cin Cin, Ground Floor, Raheja Towers, Near Dena Bank, BKC, Bandra East.
Call 69956666
Cost Rs 205

Thyme and Rosemary in…
Trend Setter
Reminiscent of one of our favourite Simon and Garfunkle songs—Scarborough Fair—in whose lyrics thyme stands for courage and rosemary, love, this drink is just what one needs to beat the heat! Jasmine tea, maple syrup, pineapple juice, rosemary and thyme are all blended together to form Trend Setter that is served enveloped in a cloud of dry ice smoke. Sprigs of thyme and rosemary complete the look of this tasty, herbaceous drink.
At The Daily Bar and Kitchen, Ground Floor, Behind Shoppers Stop, SV Road, Bandra West.
Call 9930795318
Cost Rs 450

Rooibos Tea in…
Spiced Passion
Calling rooibos a ‘tea’ is actually a misnomer. A type of herb belonging to the Fabaceae family of plants that can be found growing in South Africa, this tummy soothing herb is legendary for its calming properties. Distilling this goodness into an alcohol-free drink for summer are the guys at The Kettlery. The drink is made up of a tangy lemonade base that is flavoured with fresh rosemary, ginger bread and pumpkin tea. This tea is decocted from rooibos and blended with the intense flavours of gingerbread and pumpkin.
At The Kettlery, Unit no 1, 2nd Floor, Hotel Horizon 37, Juhu Beach, Juhu.
Call 67414777
Cost Rs 300

Rosemary in…
Summer Fizz
With a pink-peach ombre effect to it, this layered mocktail has fresh pomegranate muddled with a homemade rosemary syrup. It is then topped off with lime juice, chilled green tea, and fizzy soda water. Served in a fluted Hawaiian glass, the drink is garnished with a rosemary sprig, pomegranate seeds and edible flowers. Because, what’s summer without a bit of fresh, herby floral action?
At Nom Nom, 1&2, Ground Floor, Delux Mahal Building, 16th Road, Pali Hill, Bandra West.
Call 8291881320/21
Cost Rs 225

Dried Hibiscus Flowers in…
Hibiscus
Known multifariously as jamaica in Latin America, roselle in South Africa and karkade in the Middle East, the blood red extract of the dried hibiscus flower is the ultimate summer coolant. Displaying its versatility as the main ingredient in this eponymous mocktail, steeped hibiscus tea is combined with a sweet and sour syrup and topped off with soda water. All this, resulting in an all-natural drink that lets the tart taste of the dried flowers shine through.  
At The Clearing House, 13-15 Calicut Street, Ballard Estate.
Call 22683030
Cost Rs 235


(An edited version of this article appeared in the 24th April 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 23 https://www.mid-day.com/articles/try-these-unique-alcohol-free-drinks-with-a-plant-based-twist-in-mumbai/19351185)

There’s a Dessert in my Tipple!

Is it a dessert or is it a cocktail? Precariously balancing that fine line are a host of dessert-inspired cocktails that restaurants and bars across the city are urging us to try this party season. We sweeten you up with a few post dinner drinks.

By Raul Dias

Hard Caramel Crème Brûlée Martini
Replete with a hard-caramel shard to replicate the glassy top of a true-blue crème brûlée, this drinkable alcoholic dessert at the recently opened Scribble Stories in Bandra is a custard and vanilla flavoured cocktail infused with vanilla vodka and a layer of the aforementioned hard caramel garnish. “The idea behind the dessert cocktail was to create a party in a glass. Most celebrations are incomplete without indulging in copious amounts of alcohol and desserts and that is what inspired us to blend the two and create one sweet, boozy potion,” explains the developer of this cocktail, Chef Nester Gracias, Scribble Stories - All Day Dining.
At Scribble Stories, 21B, Santhal ONGC Complex, Opposite Lilavati Hospital, Reclamation, Bandra (w)
Call 26400754
Cost Rs 475

Blonde
​A play on the brownie’s paler sibling—the blondie, this dessert-inspired cocktail at the brand new The Runway Project in Lower Parel, is an unusual mix of key ingredients that make this drink a fashionable tipple. A concoction of milk, vanilla ice cream and mascarpone cheese, all blended with limoncello and finished off with a pinch of granulated sugar is the Blonde. “This drink is inspired by a rich cheese cake. Mixing milk and alcohol is not common in India and the result achieved can be astonishing. We thought of giving this a spin by adding liquor,” explains Varun Sudhakar, Head Innovation and Operations (Beverages), The Project series.
At The Runway Project, 2nd Floor, North Sky Zone, High Street Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel
Call 49151000
Cost Rs 775

Toblerone
A homage to the nougat and honey-redolent Swiss chocolate bar, Toblerone at Nariman Point’s Izaya is an after-dinner cocktail of honey, cream, Baileys and dark rum that invokes all things dessert. “The purpose of the Toblerone was to encourage the sale of alcohol towards the end of the meal. Also, the lack of interest in alcoholic desserts pushed us to create a cocktail that can be best enjoyed after the meal. The inspiration was the chocolate after which the drink is named, represented by the chocolate garnish and honey in the drink,” says Marzban Amroliwalla, Chef, Research and Development, Izaya.
At Izaya, NCPA, Gate No. 2, Nariman Point
Call 22821212
Cost Rs 490

The Ibrahimovic
Stunning to look at and inspired by the White Russian, this one at The Quarter, Opera House is a local, hipster take on the White Russian that’s also slightly elevated. So, as its ingredients it has cold brew coffee, brandy, buttermilk, malai and orange bitters—all giving it a dessert-esque appeal! “It’s an eclectic take on the White Russian which is truly a classic cocktail. Making them and serving them for over 20 years, I was fascinated by ways to enhance the White Russian. Drinking lassi on the streets of Mumbai and Amritsar, the thickness of it caused by high quality milk and the malai on the top makes it special. I wanted to bring about this sensation to the White Russian and by using a high-quality brandy and some orange bitters for a citrus note really managed to elevate this classic drink into the Quartersphere!” says Nico Goghavala, Co-founder, The Quarter.
At The Quarter, Royal Opera House, Mathew Rd, Opera House, Girgaon
Call 8329110638
Cost Rs 550

Thyme-scented Chocolate Caramel Cookie Shots
With a name larger than its actual size, this dessert cocktail shot is a great way to end a meal at Jeon in Juhu. Who needs to eat dessert when you can down it in a shot, right? This one’s an interesting cocktail recipe made with a twist of taste and flavour using chocolate cookie crumbs, Belgian chocolate ice cream, triple sec and Baileys Irish cream and few leaves of thyme that are all blended together to perfection, giving it that rich and creamy texture. The drink is then poured into shot glasses, topped with a dehydrated slice of orange, gooey chocolate cookie and garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme. “I tried making a dessert using the same ingredients, but it lacked flavour and texture. I thought of coming up with a drink instead, where the crunchy cookie crumbs marry the richness of the silky texture of the drink and complement each other well,” says Chef Jerson Fernandes, Executive Chef, Sea Princess Hotel.
At Jeon, Sea Princess Hotel, Ground Floor, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu
Call 26469500
Cost Rs 599


Cinnamon Crème Brûlée Martini
This one’s for both—the James Bond fan and the dessert loving ‘grown up kid’ in you! A delectable drinkable dessert in a martini glass, the Cinnamon Crème Brûlée Martini at Khar’s Radio Bar may seem a complex concoction, but is ridiculously simple to put together. Take 45ml vanilla vodka, 60ml fresh cream and blend them in a cocktail shaker along with six ice cubes. Serve this in a martini glass and dust with cinnamon powder. “My idea behind coming up with this was to combine the world-famous dessert crème brûlée and curate something very refreshing and delectable at the same time. Serving it chilled, in appropriate amounts adds up to the flavour even more,” says Nixon D’Souza, Brand Manager, Radio Bar.
At Radio Bar, Ground Floor, Hotel New Castle, Linking Road, Bandra (w)
Call 9769755542/9769355503
Cost Rs 420

(An edited version of this review appeared in the 4th January 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India https://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-cocktails-get-a-dessert-inspired-twist-at-city-bars-and-restaurants/18891162)

Nifty First Dates

Helping you make the most of your first date—whatever the type you’re looking for—is our selection of restobars across the city that offer you everything from the best romanctic views in Mumbai to places where the two of you can show of your competitive side playing boardgames!   

By Raul Dias

For the music junkies
Raasta
This fourth floor, twin levelled restobar is perfect for a date night (or even afternoon!) where music is the binding factor. Offering up a selection of live music gigs with a slant towards Reggae, this place regularly hosts both local and international bands like BLOT that perform on its specially built balcony stage. With a vibe that’s pure Caribbean from its easy, laid back décor to its menu that has everything from meter high cocktails called bongtails, served up in…yes, you guessed right, bongs, to scrumptious finger food like jerked chicken and jambalaya, make sure all roads lead to Raasta for that ultimate first date.
Where: 4th Floor, Rohan plaza, Ram Krishan Nagar, Road no. 5, Khar
Call: 8655000811
Timings: 12pm to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 2,000

For the city’s most romantic views
Asilo
As Mumbai’s much sought after rooftop destination at the St Regis Mumbai, Asilo is known for its decadent sundowners, lavish brunches and absolutely A-list parties. But it is also one of the most—if not THE most—picturesque places, offering unmatched vistas of the island city below. Impress your date by showing them the city from almost 40-stories high up as you two sip on cocktails like the rum and coconut based Aqua, while nibbling on sushi and smoked salmon rillettes. A great way to start something new, what say?
Where: Level 37, 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 61628031
Timings: 5:30pm to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 4,500

For the (board game) players!
MRP
Claiming to be Mumbai’s… nay, India’s first drinking games bar, MRP or My Regular Place for the uninitiated is a fun, casual mid-town restobar where the two of you can have a memorable first date playing all sorts of games with each other. From snakes and ladders to beer pong, each table here comes with its own box of board games with fun forfeits and wins. Among the drinks, make sure to try the Tiki Tori that’s made up of pineapple juice and three types of rums, while you fight over the last pork belly bao. Remember all is fair in love and games!
Where: Dharamputra Pritam Estate, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Rd, Lokmanya Tilak Colony, Dadar (e)
Call: 9699990036
Timings: 12pm to 3:30pm and 6pm to 1am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 1,500

For the urbane sophisticate
Theory
With its almost 50 shades of black interiors, including a mammoth 100 ft-long pressed charcoal island bar, Theory oozes undiluted, slinky sex appeal and is thus the perfect place for a first date that’s designed to impress and be impressed by. Dress up to the nines and wet your lips with libations like the Asian Mojito, a vermouth and gin based concoction while nibbling on delectable bar bites like the paper thinly-sliced prawn carpaccio anointed with a yuzu-sesame-soy sauce. Decadence with a capital ‘D’, this!  
Where: Unit 1 C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 66666506
Timings: 12pm to 4pm and 7pm to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 3,750

For the shallow pocketed
The Beer Café
Don’t worry at being called a cheapskate. No one said your first date has to break the bank! With beer starting as low as Rs 169 per pint, your money will go a long way at this fun, cool-n-casual beer café chain that’s done up in cheery shades of yellow with fun bric-a-brac décor strewn about the place. Not fans of beer? TBC offers a great range of inexpensive, basic cocktails like Screwdrivers and Mojitos that pair with bar bites like buffalo chicken wings and cheese poppers.   
Where: Shop 6-7, Ground Floor, Cambata Building, 42, Maharishi Karve Road, Churchgate. (also at Powai, Andheri (w), Kamala Mills, Mahim, High Street Phoenix and even CSIA Airport)
Call: 66153510
Timings: 11am to 12:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 850

For a cozy night out
Swey
Enjoy these last few fleeting days of rain as the two of you cuddle up together on one of Swey’s rather comfortable couches and watch the calm sea below from this not-so-high rooftop Worli restobar. Done up in soothing shades of white and ivory, the huge 15,000 sq ft space is divided up into several smaller nooks, each exuding a cozy vibe. Drinks like the kale-redolent Kale-n-Hearty pair superbly with nibbles like the American fried mac-n-cheese bars and the Goan stuffed squids.
Where: 4th Floor, Atria Mall, Opposite Poonam Chambers, Doctor Annie Besant Road, Worli
Call: 9820436666
Timings: 12pm to 1:30pm and 7pm to 12am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 1,750

For the nervous dater
The Bandra Project
Worried about making awkward conversation on your first date? Fear not! This brand new Bandra hot-spot is so buzzing and lively, that you won’t get a chance to fumble through the date. The fun, affable staff will take the edge of your first date with their quick and efficient service as they ply you with fun cocktails given a decidedly Bandra spin like the cinnamon-citrus Bandra Fest and the lavender-gin-based Joggers Park. And don’t forget to let the small plates like the chorizo-topped ragi pancakes and the prawn potato chops do all the talking, if things get a little awkward!
Where: 602, Doctor BR Ambedkar Road, Pali Hill, Bandra
Call: 62506800
Timings: 8:30am to 1:30am
Approx. Cost for two with drinks and bar bites: Rs 2,500

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 28th August 2017 issue of the evening edition of Mid-Day newspaper, India)

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: PBJ Freakshake

By Raul Dias

“Do I eat it with the spoon?” I wonder. “No! Perhaps, I should try having a go at it with the straw”, the more rational side of me chimes in. I’m sitting at Molly Bakes, a quaint, wee spot of a bakery along Kingsland Road in East London on a freezing October afternoon. Plonked in front of me is my first ever freakshake, with a mini brick of brownie perilously perched on the lip of the glass and threatening to topple over at any time.

For the uninitiated, a ‘freakshake’ is like the Godzilla of all milkshakes, overflowing with lashings of cream, chocolate and caramel sauces, and indulgent delicacies such as chunks of brownie, nuts, pretzels, biscuits and even whole slices of pie! Just like the cronut craze a couple of years ago, 2016 saw the freakshake achieve cult-like status after it debuted at an obscure little bakery and café called Pâtissez in Canberra, Australia. Yes, we have the land that gave us Vegemite and Crocodile Dundee to thank for this bottomless behemoth of a drink.

Taking the vegan route, The Sassy Spoon in Bandra, Mumbai prefers soy cream in lieu of the more de rigueur full fat cream for its iteration of the freakshake. This goes on to be blended with an American school lunch box classic combination of peanut butter and tart strawberry jam and flax seed for that added crunch.


Topped off with a cloud of whipped soy cream, more jam and a sprinkling of flax seeds, with shards of melba toast clinging to the seemingly overflowing rim of the glass, cemented with a shmear of peanut butter.

(This column first appeared in the 7th May 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/pbj-freakshake/article18399568.ece)

Purple Rain—Perfect Lavender Cocktails for Spring!

By Raul Dias

Paired with everything from the rather neutral vodka and gin to a more robustly flavoured red wine, and muddled with other fragrant botanicals like hibiscus and elderflower, the sweetly perfumed lavender blossom is enjoying a turn at several restaurants and bars across the country, making a lavender cocktail the perfect springtime tipple. We bring you a serving of a few such iterations that exude lavender with every sip!  

MON CHERI
Imbued with an experimental streak when it comes to his bar, Pranav Mody the restaurant’s manager and mixologist, sends off this rather exotic looking, deep purple-hued cocktail with a generous pour of house-infused lavender-hibiscus vodka, and vanilla, along with a splash of orange liqueur and citrus mix. Adorned with a marigold flower to offset the colour, the drink is the ultimate ode to flower power.
The Sassy Spoon (Nariman Point outlet), Mumbai. Rs600

LAVENDER ORCHID
As the signature cocktail of the award winning Mediterranean restaurant and bar, this lavender cocktail—that’s the creation of Olive’s bar manager R. Dhanendran—is the refreshing sum of its Grey Goose vodka, lychee, pomegranate and lavender parts. Perfect for spring, the cocktail sees fresh lychee and pomegranate muddled together and then shaken with vodka, house-made lavender syrup, fresh lime juice and ice cubes and served in a cocktail glass with an orchid as a garnish.
Olive Beach, Bengaluru. Rs650

LAVENDER DOLL
Even Mumbai’s newest Pan-Asian restaurant seems to be caught up in the lavender maelstrom. Not only is their lavender ice-cream the most in-demand dessert, they say, but another lavender-based creation is surging up the popularity charts as well. Imagined by beverage and cocktail developer Tanai Shirali, this cocktail is made with vodka, sparkling wine and lavender and wild flowers’ extract, with the lavender’s perfume lending a beautiful, sweet-scented complexity to this libation that’s stylishly served up in a champagne flute!   
Shizusan, Mumbai. Rs625 ​ 

15 BLOOMSBURY
Drawing inspiration from their bestselling Japanese-style deconstructed lavender cheesecake, this Park Street, Kolkata restobar has now come up with a liquid homage to the springtime blossom. A potent blend of homemade flower bitters, gin, tonic with a strong hit of lavender flowers​, this cocktail is named 15 Bloomsbury, in memory of the chef and co-founder Urvika Kanoi​’s​ chef ​school address in London, which had a beautiful lavender garden that would bloom in springtime.
Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar, Kolkata. Rs295

​

FLORAL SANGRIA
Taking a rather bold detour from the de rigueur pairing of lavender with vodka or gin, Ema Pereira, head mixologist ‘consciously couples’ a deep garnet red wine with dried lavender blossoms for her floral version of the wine cocktail. Served up in a gin and tonic coupe, bits of muddled apple, a sprig of thyme, and fresh jasmine flowers top it off.
Theory, Mumbai. Rs550

GREEN TEA & LAVENDER MARTINI
A rather subtle mélange of decidedly Eurasian flavours, this martini is made using a special in-house green tea and lemongrass infusion, with thyme and lavender added to accentuate the herbaceous, floral notes. A splash of vodka (in lieu of gin) and lemon juice finishes it off. And just like its sangria counterpart, this martini is jazzed up with the Theory signature garnish of fresh jasmine buds and a few sprigs of thyme.
Theory, Mumbai. Rs860

(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 25th February 2017 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/pkGcW8z5s4q0ZGThYCkXaJ/RoundUp-Lust-for-lavender.html)