Curated by Jorge, this collection of cocktails is influenced by his love for the arts and will attempt to push the boundaries of expectations with modern techniques using tools like the rotary evaporator, a device regularly used in chemical laboratories, to create complex and layered flavours.
Here’s a couple of noteworthy and very Instagrammable cocktails from various categories inspired by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Vincent van Gogh.
The Heart of Vincent is inspired by a famous quote from The Letters of Vincent van Gogh, “The heart of a man is very much like the seas. It has storms, it has its tides, and, in its depths, it has its pearls too.” Savoury elements are woven throughout the drink with flavours from sea salt, quinine, sparkling wine and pickled purslane, an edible local succulent plant.
The eponymous world-known surrealist is behind Dali’s Self Portrait, concocted to showcase the madness of Dali’s dreams and hallucinations in unforgettable images.
Fruity & Punchy
Infused with fresh ingredients, the intriguing Picasso’s Pencil celebrates the flavours of Picasso’s native southern Spain. Picasso’s first word was noted as “piz,” short for “lapiz,” the Spanish word for pencil. The aromas and flavours of distilled pencil wood, combined with smoky agave, preserved lemon, fruity Manzanilla sherry, apple vinegar and tonic are designed to take guests back to primary school.
Moving in a more culinary direction is the banana-infused Peel and See, with inspiration drawn from Andy Warhol’s iconic piece for The Velvet Underground. The unlikely combination of banana, miso and olive oil is integrated into the gin base through a multi-step process of sous vide, dehydration and fat-washing, then combined with quinine aperitif and served with an additional dash of olive oil for garnish.
The “Illusion of Flavours” menu is just at its beginning — expect it to evolve over time as Jorge pushes the boundaries of creativity. These cocktails are best sipped while feasting on the stunning night scenery from Smoke & Mirrors’ prime location. Pricing varies per cocktail, with prevailing goods and services tax (GST) at 7 per cent and service charge at 10 per cent added.
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