Drop by these Mumbai bars to have desi cocktails with a twist

Pani Puri MargaritaThe piquant sum of its homemade pani puri water tequila triple sec and citrus mix the pani puri margarita is an ode to Mumbais diehard love affair with the street food staple I always loved the pani puri my mother made Once when she made it I had some tequila At hand I decided to experiment and it was a match made in heaven Its more like mothers love mixed with my favourite spirit says Pranav Mody manager and mixologist The Sassy Spoon Nariman PointAt Express Towers Nariman Point Call 9920003500 Cost Rs 490Roadside MuleTamarind and dates and all the other ingredients house tamarind sauce curry leaves cumin ginger ginger ale in this cocktail are inspired by the taste of the Indian street chaat all put together to balance the flavour of the gin and the colour of the drink Tamarind and dates were added to the drink to remind the drinker of Indian street food They also lend a certain freshness to the cocktail which is a take on the Moscow Mule but with the Theory magic says Ema Pereira mixologist TheoryAt Kamala Mills Senapati Bapat Marg Lower Parel Call 66666506Cost Rs 850MMS Monkey Masala SodaMonkey Bar is a wellknown destination for its unconventional cocktails thAt junk all the rules and strike off the sugary sweet concoctions replacing them with a host of original trendy drinks For the MMS kaffir lime is muddled with vodka and a house made masala soda making for a refreshing simple and smooth cocktail Its no longer about regular cocktails but a whole new spin where innovation and freshness are firmly At the forefront says Nakul Chandra brand head Monkey BarAt Summerville 14th and 33rd Road Linking Road Bandra West Call 26005215 Cost Rs 320China to KolkataPart of the special monsoon cocktail menu at Shizusan Shophouse amp Bar this cocktail uses peaches native to northwest China and the gondhoraj lime which is Bengals favourite ingredient Gondhoraj is fruitier and sharper than the regular nimbu giving the cocktail a disctinct flavour This ones our take on the classic Peach Margarita says Tanai Shirali director of operations At ShizusanAt Skyzone Highstreet Phoenix Lower ParelCall 7045004138 Cost Rs 525Shikanji SourAn Indian spin on the Whiskey Sour this cocktail is exciting from the word go It is a mix of Bourbon homemade shikanji North Indianstyle lemonade puree sweet and sour mix rose syrup rose water and egg white All this is garnished with some rosemary Indians love shikanji and most of them like whiskey too I wanted to blend two strong but complementary flavours thAt add a natural woodiness and sweetness to the cocktail Shikanji adds a greAt fragrance especially when garnished with rosemary says Taufeeq Shaikh bartender EstellaAt Nichani Kutir Juhu Tara Road Juhu Call 7999998232 Cost Rs 625ThaiquillaSamesame but different is an oftheard phrase when in Thailand and the Thaiquilla cocktail is like a drinkable version of this oxymoronic saying This IndoThai meacutelange is an amalgamation of kokum and tequila along with Thai basil and fresh lime Kokum or Indian mangosteen lends a distinct sour element thAt blends exceptionally well with tequila The basil adds a Thai twist to it helping the cocktail go well with our restaurants Asian flavours philosophy says Farrokh Khambata chefowner UmameAt First floor Cambata Building next to Eros Theatre Churchgate Call 61110303 Cost Rs 550