Cocktails: Pushing limits of innovation

I felt I was seated in a gangster’s den as I sat back and sipped my cocktail, at Gangsta’s Café & Bar, a pulsating underground bar in Bandra, with enormous coolness and bold quotient to it.

The bar offers an extensive variety of spirits and beers, wine varieties along with options from various international and imported spirits.

New innovative cocktails including Sexy Bull, Bull on the Beach and Long Island Ice Bull, which, I predict, are bound to add some excitement to your life this festive season.

It sure did to mine. I could not help marvel at the lively bartenders who were adeptly creating special cocktails and shots right before my eyes.

A lot happens in Mumbai on the tipple scene nowadays. Later that week, I relished some more modern cocktails like the Art of Choke and Dead Flip at Gadda Da Vida, Novotel, Juhu Mumbai.

But what swept me off my feet was the, Earl Grey Mar-tea-ni. Steeped in fine cocktail lineage, this drink gets its kick from tea and gin. Earl Grey forms the base for this new martini.

The experience got enhanced as I watched Florent Parfait, one of the most well known bartenders in France, who was in Mumbai.

He clearly was at his flair bartending best. He has perfected the art of service and has over the years developed a good eye for detail.

It was evident from the manner in which he was effortlessly preparing and serving the guests.

But what I am really looking forward to this month, I must confess, is some fun, as we near Halloween next week.

Diageo has put together cocktails that are sure to get you spooked this Halloween.

There is Lady at No. 10 — Tanqueray No. 10 is caught flirting with triple sec and lemon juice in this beautiful classic with a trio of citrus; and Green Eyes — created by old green eyes himself, the king of the cocktail, Dale Degroff, this is a tropical concoction with Ketel One vodka, honey, lime, coconut water and kiwi fruit.

Now this one is not something I am going to miss at all. I have tried many a mysterious cocktail on Halloween in London, often, without knowing the ingredients, so nothing deters me from being daring now.

—Mini is a food writer