HYDERABAD: The cocktail culture in Hyderabad seems to be getting very popular lately and I for one couldn’t be happier about it. Despite being one of the cities with the highest alcohol consumption, a few years ago it was almost impossible to find a bar that would serve good cocktails. However, the restaurateurs were quick to find this gap in the market and with new and innovative F&B properties opening doors and international brands starting to retail here, it is a big step up for the mixology community. While we all enjoy our favourite classic cocktails like a good old fashioned or dirty martinis, it is always fun to explore and try new ones.
I also realise that most people who consume alcohol have also become quite conscious and tend to avoid cocktails because of the extra sugar and calories. Hence they prefer to take their drinks with water/soda or as shooters. While no spirit is really healthy for our bodies, more and more people have started to adapt to tequila because it contains zero fat and carbs, additionally it is also gluten free and vegan. But that is absolutely not why I like tequila.
My love for tequila started when I used to pair spicy, flavourful cocktails with Mexican food and eventually I started adding a few bottles and condiments like Tajin to my personal bar. It is a really versatile spirit and pairs well with everything from citrus juices to flavoured sodas to vermouth. In fact, one of my personal favourite brands Don Julio (the most internationally awarded tequila) is finally coming to Hyderabad this weekend and they’re celebrating it with an insane launch night at Whisky Samba. I used to desperately look for this brand at every duty-free whenever I travelled and I’m so glad that it will be hitting the shelves in my city very soon.
While most bars in Hyderabad have only one or two tequila based cocktails on their menus, there are some that blew my mind like the Noho Picante, Guntur Gang at RU, Spot On at Cock & Bull, Spice It Up at Lord of the Drinks and the seasonal Mango Margarita at Broadway/Feu. I’m sure I have a lot more places to explore and I can only hope that with this new launch and growing love for the spirit, bars will start to serve more options in this category. I’m also deeply manifesting an authentic Mexican bar to come to town very soon that will serve gourmet food paired with tequila cocktails because that is much needed!
(The writer’s views are her own)
(This writer is a TedX speaker, content creator & stylist, who will share about her tryst with the City of Nizams)