admin
Bartenders across Maharashtra are turning cocktails into stories, blending regional flavours, culinary artistry, and familiar aromas. The result is offbeat drinks that blend chaos, comfort, and creativity in equal measure.
Monsoon on the rocks
For Maharashtrians, the monsoon carries a sense of romanticism, one that lives in memories of first kisses in the rain and the unmistakable scent of petrichor rising from wet streets.
This emotion finds liquid expression at Scarlett House in Mumbai, which channels the city’s monsoon mood through a cocktail crafted with a fusion of jasmine, pandan, coconut water, cacao butter, and charred pineapple. Fay Barretto, Bar Chef at Scarlett House, explains the intent behind the drink: “We hide the unexpected inside the familiar. Guests recognise the first note, and then the drink gently surprises them. Coconut water, jaggery, spices, pineapple, lime, and even the idea of petrichor come straight from the monsoons. We use a saline solution and a petrichor spray. Seasonality matters because these drinks are meant to feel like the city at a particular time of year, especially during the monsoon.”
A fisherman’s dream
Pescador, a cocktail served by the Four Seasons, is a fisherman’s dream, literally. Mayur Patil, Senior Bartender at Aer, Four Seasons, explains the concept: “The inspiration was a fisherman; how they survive, how their map knows every shore, and how each tide reflects their dream of the day’s catch.”
Explaining the process behind getting the drink made, he says, “It took 19 elements to balance the batch, with precise control over temperature and technique. We use cold maceration, fat washing, and milk clarification with some yoghurt to preserve the lactobacillus bacteria present in the curd. It’s a fisherman’s dream reborn in a gimlet garden.”
Biryani in a glass
Biryani is one of those dishes that’s universally loved. While it evolved significantly under Mughal influence in cities like Delhi, Lucknow, and Hyderabad, there’s hardly a state in India that hasn’t claimed it as its own. Now, the iconic dish has made an unexpected leap, from plate to cocktail glass.
This inventive drink, offered by the Massive Restaurants chain, brings together tequila, plum sauce, pineapple, biryani masala, tonka bean — known for its vanilla-like warmth with hints of caramel, almond, and marzipan — along with rum, sweet woodruff, and even bhurani raita, biryani’s garlicky yoghurt-based accompaniment.
Anurag Dhingra, Head of Liquid Artistry at Massive Restaurants, explains, “Biryani masala in a cocktail sounds intimidating, but when used well, it comes across as warm and savoury rather than spicy. It took multiple trials, especially to ensure the drink didn’t feel heavy. It’s meant to be sipped slowly, much like biryani itself; best enjoyed with conversation.”
