Mumbai Food: Ami Shroff, Aneesha Bhasin talk all things alcohol over lunch

Ami Shroff and Aneesh Bhasin talk all things alcohol over lunch at Lima BKC PicsPradeep DhivarIts a sweltering May afternoon and Aneesh Bhasin is already at Lima when Ami Shroff arrives Bhasin is the cofounder of Hipcask a winefocused smartphone app and Shroff is among Indias first female flair bartenders Though actively involved in the countrys beverage industry the duo has never met beforeBhasin has been holding curated events at city bars and eateries while Shroff is busy developing the bar menu for London Taxi a soontolaunch restaurant in Kamala Mills She shyly introduces herself to Bhasin before settling in But in a matter of minutes the duo has hit it off helped along by glasses of Pisco SourAmi I think alcohol can be intimidating to people It might be because of the way companies market it Aneesh Yes Take whiskey for instance There is so much snobbery associated with single malts that at times it gets intimidating for newbiesAmi Once we launch were going to introduce workshops Even otherwise Im happy to allow people behind the bar and teach them how to make a drinkAneesh I think thats important It will be so much easier if people can just have a good conversation with a mixologistPisco Sours arriveAneesh Although a Peruvian cocktail the Pisco Sour is perfect for the Indian summer Its interesting to see sour flavours become trendy Ami People dont like sugary drinks anymore And there is this perception that cocktails are always sweet So the word sour sounds appealingAneesh Thats true People are moving away from really sweet drinks And a lot of places are doing cocktails with less sugar Ami They want to be able to taste all the ingredients in their drink Theres also an emphasis on fresh ingredients now Bars are going for cold pressed juices over packaged ones and making syrups inhouseGuacamole with Tortilla Chips Quinoa and Mint Salad and Ceviche Classico arriveAmi This is really goodAneesh Yes you dont get good guacamole in Mumbai Its beautifulAmi Im liking all the food The quinoa salad is delicious it has a sweetandsour dressing and theres this nice crunch to it Aneesh For me the winner is this ceviche I could have it every dayShraddha Gin is also enjoying its moment in the spotlight isnt itAmi Gin is seeing a rise in popularity around the world I was recently at a competition in Sweden where there were a series of gin workshops and tastings Aneesh Thats happening here too We recently curated an event where we ran out of 12 bottles of gin in one night Even the classic Gin and Tonic is a refreshing drink that suits our weather and pairs well with our food Vodka on the other hand has lost its mojoAmi Initially vodka was positioned as a spirit that was odourless and flavourless that you could mix it with anything and it would work But I think now people like their alcohol to have some character Aneesh Youre right That neutrality factor may not matter anymore Ami Thats not to take anything away from vodka People in Eastern Europe still love their vodka It also comes down to what youre in the mood for I enjoy vodka but I am really liking gin right now Aneeshacircu00c2u0080u00c2u0088There is a new homegrown gin brand that has just launched and they are selling one of their variants for around Rs 900Amiacircu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Thats allAneesh Thats how it should be I think a lot of our alcohol needs to offer better value for money It should cost the same but be of higher quality In fact India needs to make better spirits to begin with As of now there arent even five brands you can count that make good alcohol here Thankfully theres a lot of young blood entering the industry that should change things Ami Ive had great toddy at watering holes in South India If only we could create an industry out of stuff thats already part of our culture Aneesh There are a few niche brands making Indian liquor popular worldwide but its a pity that the big companies are not doing itAmi We will always have Old Monk I supposeAneesh Old Monk is the one spirit that transcends class No one feels rich drinking it no one feels poor drinking it I dont think there will ever be anything like it again