Raising the bar

A music honcho and a hospitality expert compete to make the best cocktail. Drop in to drink up

Putting aside their day jobs as entrepreneurs in music and F&B respectively, Devraj Sanyal and Romil Ratra are all set to try their hand at bartending, using home-made purees, fruits, herbs and spices that pay a modern homage to Asian flavours, as well as a specially curated collection of 30-plus home-made bitters and liquors. Adding to the fun, the two will be competing for the title of The Bitter Bartender. And it's for a good cause too.

The two have selected their three cocktails from the outlet's new cocktail menu called The Infusion List, and will be re-creating them for guests at a BKC eatery who will decide the winner. Ratra's drinks include lavender aviation made with lavender liqueur, lemon and gin and the well-balanced aquavit mule that embraces aquavit blended with vodka, lychee, lime and ginger ale. Sanyal's comparatively lighter selections include the shaken and double-strained Asian highball with kaffir lime liqueur, peach puree and syrup with a dash of whiskey, the platinum negroni made with Earl Grey-infused vodka, sweet vermouth, sambuca and finished with dehydrated grapefruit.

Devraj Sanyal (left) will square off with Romil Ratra

"Romil has agreed to support my charity, so 20 per cent of whatever the both of us sell tonight goes to my main CSR activity #TheDharaviDreamProject, which then helps us do more for the kids who are the next generation of hip-hop stars. Luckily, the bartender rules of the house don't apply to us as we battle for the title. My charm and Ro's skills will surely get everyone drunk; besides, this time, it's for a good cause," says Sanyal. "I'm excited — I am spending an evening doing what I love, with people I love, at a place I love and for a good cause. What can be better?" adds Ratra.

Tonight 9 pm onwards
At Yauatcha, Raheja Tower, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East.
Call 9222222800

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