Watch Video: Bandra bar introduces molecular cocktails

When we step into The Bar Stock Exchangersquos newest outpost on Bandrarsquos bustling Linking Road it feels as if wersquove ventured into a chemistry lab minus lab coats and protective glares Apart from measuring cups shakers wine openers and strainers the apparatus also includes a candy floss machine that spins threads of the sweet confection a smoke gun a foam machine as well as a syringeSmoke CocktailAll of these will help the scientists read bartenders concoct molecular cocktails that will be served this weekend onwards as part of the barrsquos new drinks menu ldquoMolecular cocktails are about eating your drinksrdquo shares bartender Owais Shaikh who has been roped in specially to teach these cocktails to the branchrsquos senior bartender Vicky Rizwani To know what the fuss about molecular cocktails is we try to make three molecular cocktails mdash Mojito Spheres Screw Driver Caviar Smoke Cocktail and the innovative Raspberry Reggae 350 each exclusive of taxes Screw Driver CaviarSphere talkRemember those bulblike organisms that yoursquod peer at through a microscope during school lab sessions The Mojito Sphere comes close Itrsquos a mojito white rum lime juice sugar syrup soda and sprite that transforms into a sphere when poured into a semisolid mixture of alginic acid and water ldquoAlgin is a thickening agent and the mixture is known as a bath When you are blending the mixture ensure it is without any bubblesrdquo advises Shaikh Using a ketchup squeezer we pour the mojito into a spoon add a mint leaf and delicately drop it into the bath Within 30 seconds it contracts into a semisolid bubble Wowed we transfer this bubble into a bowl of water scared that it might burst It doesnrsquot ldquoAlgin keeps it together Since it is a chemical we need to wash the sphere in waterrdquo he adds The sphere pops in our mouth and wersquore greeted with a burst of flavours We receive a thumbsup from our bartenderScooping Mojito Sphere out of the bathNext we try the Screw Driver Caviar that involves using a scarylooking syringe ldquoThe syringe includes 60 ml of vodka a little water and orange juicerdquo informs Shaikh who lightly presses it and drops tiny beads of caviar into the bath We try to imitate but struggle as our formations are more oblong drops than little bubbles ldquoYou should put very little pressure on the syringerdquo he cautions We give it another go and lo They appear like perfect caviar that are poured into a shot glass topped with orange juice and downed with a little jig in our head mdash we made caviarSenior bartender Vicky Rizwani shows the writer how to make Raspberry Reggae PicsShadab khanHoly smokeGrinning we face our next challenge until we realise that we need to light up a smoke gun for the Smoke Cocktail ldquoPeople like to smoke a cigar with their single malts The smokes give the same effectrdquo shares Shaikh In a shaker we add ice cubes whiskey lime juice and sugar syrup Patiently Shaikh tells us how to hold the shaker mdash horizontally with both hands covering it Gathering strength we give the drink a vehement shake wondering how bartenders make it look so easy Once the drink is poured into a glass Shaikh shows us how to smoke it up He adds wooden chips in a hole of the gunlike machine with a long pipe going into the glass We cover it with a tissue and light up the wood chips Soon we can see the smoke emanating and quickly remove the pipe ldquoIt shouldnrsquot get too smoky else yoursquoll lose the flavourrdquo says Shaikh who tastes our drink and declares ldquoItrsquos perfectrdquo Do the reggaeNow Rizwani takes over and lays out several ingredients mdash vodka cranberry juice passion fruit syrup lime juice candy floss ice cubes and even raspberry ice cream candy We might as well be whipping up a dessert In trancelike fashion he makes the drink Following his rhythm we add ice cubes to the shaker pour in the other juices and shake them well In a glass we add candy floss ice cream candy and pour our drink on top of it As the candy floss and the ice cream candy melts a shocking pink hue descends into our drink and we actually hear a kid one of the staffrsquos since we are there during nonworking hours clap awed by the magic of it all And we realise we are tooTime 6 pm to 130 amAt The Bar Stock Exchange Kenilworth Building off Linking Road Bandra WKnow the apparatusgtgt Bath A mixture of algin and water used as thickening agent for spherification in cocktailsgtgtSmoking gun A gunlike apparatus used to add smoke effect to molecular cocktails with help of wooden chips and lighter You can also add cinnamon to create flavoured smoke gtgtFoam machine Used to add alcohol foamBartending tipsgtgtConnect with guests Make them comfortable at the bargtgtUnderstand their preferencesgtgtUse your hands deftly so that you donrsquot go overboard with the quantity of alcohol gtgtEven if the guest is drunk or has a problem with the drink keep calmgtgtStay hydrated as you need to stand for long hours