Bombay spice Manhattan has cognac, Templeton rye whiskey, home-made spice dram and walnut bitters

At Nara Thai, he has managed to curate an entirely new menu for the Thai restaurant in less than two months. Incidentally, there’s nothing Thai about the cocktails that will be served exclusively at the basement bar. The mezzanine floor restaurant has a different bar menu, also crafted by Hyman. "If I’ve been methodical and structured for the upstairs menu, I’ve unleashed the artist down here." Hyman says the "downstairs cocktails" are for those interested in serious drinking.

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Given the season, he has consciously picked winter ingredients to create the drinks. For instance, the Bombay spice Manhattan is made with cognac, Templeton rye whiskey, home-made spice dram and walnut bitters.

Cambay made with gin, lemon sherbet, mint and citrus foam

"This drink will evoke Christmas memories," says Hyman, as he opens a jar of all-spice dram. Commonly used in Caribbean cooking, it’s a powerfully spiced mix with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The aroma reminds us of garam masala, but Hyman says the difference is that the former has a dry flavour and is slightly bitter. The hero ingredient here is the pimento berry from Jamaica. To add a layer of complexity, he has also used caraway, ginger and black rum. It takes anywhere between two weeks to two months to have the mix ready for use.

All eight cocktails are named after South Mumbai landmarks, including Colaba Causeway and The Ballard. While the Causeway 1838 has jose cuervo reposado (Spanish tequila), smoked whiskey, lemon sherbet, ginger tincture and egg white, the Ballard is made with bourbon whiskey, cinnamon and ricard mist.

Andrew Hyman

"When I look at a location [that inspires a drink], I always look at what elements I can use as an influence. For instance, Lady Flora inspired me to give the flora on the menu a more feminine feel. It has gin, elderflower, chamomile and dill bitters."

The Colio, a gin-based cocktail made with dry ginger and plums is gender-neutral. "I’ve used plum shrubs by combining vinegar, sugar, and red plums. It’s a way of creating a layered flavour profile without using lemon or lime juice because the ingredients are already sour." For now, Hyman is still in the process of gauging customer preferences. "I plan to get more experimental in the coming months," he winks.

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