This time I would like to dedicate my post to individualism.
There was a time, when I thought, that there is only one way [yes - the stoney way] for a bit for "the bar". And well, I am not completely off this opinion, I am just more open to look left and right.
Still, I am more than anxious about the reputation of a bar like Barasti. Bar of the year or best bar? Not with my approval! Most popular bar? Likely, maybe -- depending on, what you would call a bar.
So first of all, you would need to acknowledge, that there are several categories of "drinkeries".
All these categories, have different demands and other dynamics; other volumes, other guests and especially: other expectations.
Its starts with the entertainment - you will have a DJ in a nightclub, which is active and wants to bring the people onto the dance floor, however in a lounge bar, the DJ should be able to create a laid-back atmosphere - in the supper club it changes from laid-back to dance. A pub usually works the best without DJ - occasionally with rustic live music. A hotel bar might have a pianist.
And so on.
It is also important to understand the focus of specific drinks for specific concepts. A pub should focus on beer. Cocktails are usually awful in pubs - and this is exactly the point, where I am getting furious. Stick to what you are...
A nightclub should focus on fast drinks - highballs and simple long drinks and off course wine and beers [and usually everything is quite overpriced]. You don't really want to order there an Old Fashioned. Nor would you like to order the same drink in a dive bar.
But finally it comes to the overall expectations of the guests. In a greasy spoon venue [pub or dive], you are not looking for great drinks - but you are looking for a casual atmosphere and just a good time.
And this is exactly the point, why you can't say, that e.g. Barasti is the best bar in Dubai. It simply isn't. It is the most successful; it is the most popular; and I guess, you can have the most fun there [if you are not me].
However if you say, that this is the best, I am looking for quality: ingredients [they are the one venue, which are still using lemon juice made from concentrate in Dubai], service quality [don't ask for something], cocktail quality [besides of the ingredients, I haven't got one mixed drink there, which was flawlessly made] - and well you can't argue over entertainment...
I learned a lot about this, in the time, I prepared the menus for Rush and for Skylite.
Two different [but still similar] concepts. Two concepts, which are widely different of a conservative bar. So I haven't done a big list of classic stirred drinks - because it would simply not work. The drinks are not pretentious [at least I tried to keep it to the minimum]; yet they are often whimsical, creative, innovative. They are not super complex - but are fun to drink, without being something like a fruit salad.
When I have completed the transfer to the new drinks menus [and other side stuff - plus when we are upon the crazy time of formula one] I guess I will again feel the yearning of a more classicist bar.
Off course, I plan to have regularly new drinks - maybe a cocktail course there...
But a classic bar is just like a magnet for me - I just love it. And I like to do something on the top of sophistication and complexity.
Anyway - until then I will be extremely busy...
There was a time, when I thought, that there is only one way [yes - the stoney way] for a bit for "the bar". And well, I am not completely off this opinion, I am just more open to look left and right.
Still, I am more than anxious about the reputation of a bar like Barasti. Bar of the year or best bar? Not with my approval! Most popular bar? Likely, maybe -- depending on, what you would call a bar.
So first of all, you would need to acknowledge, that there are several categories of "drinkeries".
- There is definitely the pub.
- There is the lounge bar / rooftop bar
- A nightclub definitely have its own category
- A supper club - is a mixture - yet I would say, it deserves [especially now] an own category
- The classic bar / American bar / Hotel bar...
- The restaurant bar....
- And then there are also some dive bars...
- And jazz bars as well.
All these categories, have different demands and other dynamics; other volumes, other guests and especially: other expectations.
Its starts with the entertainment - you will have a DJ in a nightclub, which is active and wants to bring the people onto the dance floor, however in a lounge bar, the DJ should be able to create a laid-back atmosphere - in the supper club it changes from laid-back to dance. A pub usually works the best without DJ - occasionally with rustic live music. A hotel bar might have a pianist.
And so on.
It is also important to understand the focus of specific drinks for specific concepts. A pub should focus on beer. Cocktails are usually awful in pubs - and this is exactly the point, where I am getting furious. Stick to what you are...
A nightclub should focus on fast drinks - highballs and simple long drinks and off course wine and beers [and usually everything is quite overpriced]. You don't really want to order there an Old Fashioned. Nor would you like to order the same drink in a dive bar.
But finally it comes to the overall expectations of the guests. In a greasy spoon venue [pub or dive], you are not looking for great drinks - but you are looking for a casual atmosphere and just a good time.
And this is exactly the point, why you can't say, that e.g. Barasti is the best bar in Dubai. It simply isn't. It is the most successful; it is the most popular; and I guess, you can have the most fun there [if you are not me].
However if you say, that this is the best, I am looking for quality: ingredients [they are the one venue, which are still using lemon juice made from concentrate in Dubai], service quality [don't ask for something], cocktail quality [besides of the ingredients, I haven't got one mixed drink there, which was flawlessly made] - and well you can't argue over entertainment...
I learned a lot about this, in the time, I prepared the menus for Rush and for Skylite.
Two different [but still similar] concepts. Two concepts, which are widely different of a conservative bar. So I haven't done a big list of classic stirred drinks - because it would simply not work. The drinks are not pretentious [at least I tried to keep it to the minimum]; yet they are often whimsical, creative, innovative. They are not super complex - but are fun to drink, without being something like a fruit salad.
When I have completed the transfer to the new drinks menus [and other side stuff - plus when we are upon the crazy time of formula one] I guess I will again feel the yearning of a more classicist bar.
Off course, I plan to have regularly new drinks - maybe a cocktail course there...
But a classic bar is just like a magnet for me - I just love it. And I like to do something on the top of sophistication and complexity.
Anyway - until then I will be extremely busy...
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