Skip to main content

With Shadow there is Light...

Riyas - rather in recreational look...
My day today didn't started very well. I had to let one of my colleagues go - and as this doesn't happen often [I try to be a patient, understanding and supporting boss] it drags you pretty much down.

And I am also quite busy with my other dozen "construction sites", implementation of Rush menu, finalisation of Skylite menu, conception of Nautilus menu, staff training... you get the point.

Late this evening, I just went just to our gorgeous re-designed lobby which just opened today.
Riyas my previous team leader in Rush bar was promoted as assistant manager to the Yas Lounge - the lobby lounge of the hotel. We developed the lounge beverage menu together - focussing on typical [healthy to not so healthy] lounge drinks, hot drinks, as well as tea and coffee inspired cocktails.

Riyas welcomed me in the lobby and offered me to try the diverse premixes, he did [according our recipes].

Truth has to be told - when I am designing a menu, which is not in my own bar, most people have quite some challenges to implement these ideas. Recipes are pretty easy to follow - not much different as your food recipe as well - I don't know why, but usually the whole thing becomes a mess and only after hour long fixing, there is some improvement [however usually it is even then everything but perfect].

The drinks and premixes I tried of Riyas however were spot on. I almost would say, that it is unbelievable [unbelievable like, I sleepwalked previous night - got into my car while sleeping, entered the lobby lounge while sleeping, prepared every single premix myself - well while sleeping, then went back to my car while sleeping and drove sleeping back to my flat, and after waking up, didn't even realized that I was gone... that unbelievable].

I have only showed him a couple of things - the rest he mastered himself, with a brilliance which is nothing but spectacular. Well I am pretty proud on him.

One of the cool and unusual drinks on the menu is a Horchata Sombrero - its house made horchata and Patrón XO Café. The drink is like your usual Sombrero - substituting milk with horchata - [a Mexican kinda rice milk] and Kahlùa with Patrón XO [this is not really a big change - Patrón XO is even tastier than the other Mexican coffee liqueur].

Not a super complex drink, but perfect and comforting in a beautiful new lobby lounge.

How is it made? Well its build - add the coffee liqueur over ice cubes in the highball glass. Float with horchata.
How is the Horchata made? It is Mexican horchata - so you can find several recipes in the web - such as this one.

Any questions?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to use citric acid - and why you might not want to use it anyway!

To be honest, I shied away of this topic, because I think, people can misinterpret this - big time. I don't want to be part of the problem - I want to be part of the solution!  But when Chris, over at A Bar Above  discussed this subject- I literally could not resist to join into "the discussion". Here is the video: I - however take a bit slower approach than Chris. What is citric acid? Chemical Compound Citric acid is a weak organic acid with the formula C6H8O7. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and drinks. Wikipedia Formula: C6H8O7 Molar Mass: 192.124 g/mol Melting Point: 153C Density: 1.66 g/cm3 Boiling point: 175C Soluble in: Water Why is it controversial? In my "mixology world" it is controversial, as citric acid is the stuff, which makes the nightmarish sour mix [ preferably in powder form ] sour. Yeah - citric acid is the main ingredient in one of the most

Fentiman's - part deux

You might already know [otherwise just read my last post ], that Fentiman's Botanical Tonic Water taste great. And I mentioned, that I am not totally convinced of the other flavours... Let me now and here explain why. First to the great ones: Rose Lemonade is really nice... however I have to come across one rose drink, which doesn't taste really good. A couple of years I have reviewed [and tried] Sence - also a drink which is based on Bulgarian roses - and it was lovely. Fentiman's Rose Lemonade is not different - maybe slightly too acidic. Anyway - it is just great [however also very simple to replicate - citric acid, sugar syrup, carbonated water and rose water is all what you need...]. The Curiousity Cola is also nice - it is a bit more standalone and unique as other cola sodas- but hit the right spots. Only problem still is: the original just taste better and - well like the original. Cherrybark Cola - is another good soda. While I've expected it to taste

What is the best cranberry juice in the bar?

A good friend of me "whatsapp'ed" me today and asked for my expertise: "What is the best cranberry juice?" I would loved to just let him know the brand - however it is not that easy. What do we understand of cranberry juice? One of the biggest [maybe the  biggest producer] of cranberry products is Ocean Spray. And: it is well regarded. Problem is: it is not a juice! Wait - what? Ocean Spray doesn't produce a juice - they produce a juice cocktail - which translates into a lot of water, a lot of sugar, some taste-balancers as citric acid [nothing against this really] and a minuscule portion of juice - usually around 3%. Yes they have something which is called 100% juice. Which is on one hand true, on the other the biggest deception ever. Because you don't get 100% cranberry - you get a mixture of juices of concentrate - most of the time apple and white grape and a bit of cranberry. There are also some other brands around, which might feature a h