Mixing it up in style
Charcoal comes up with some new and surprsingly spicy new drinks
CHARCOAL Tandoor Grill & Mixology celebrated the launch of a new range of spice- infused cocktails last week, all of them created by premier cocktail expert and self-styled “mixsultant” Joseph Boroski, in collaboration with Charcoal’s owner, Rohit Sachdev.
Charcoal is an Indian restaurant and bar with a difference. Described by Sachdev as “the only Indian restaurant in Bangkok that doesn’t do curries” the menu focuses on a wide range of kebabs and other Indian specialities.
But finding the perfect cocktails to complement the food isn’t always easy and so Sachdev and Boroski set off on a journey through India. There, they explored hidden markets searching for exotic spices to create the exclusive flavours found at Charcoal.
Taking a year to develop the cocktails and going into what Boroski describes as “unchartered territory”, they were determined to create something unique. The 15 new cocktails and mocktails, most of them rum or vodka based, use fresh fruit juices and home-made sodas in the mix and are then infused with such flavours as chilli, turmeric, cloves, even mint chutney, which really sets them apart. There are new twists on classics such as the “Mint Chutney Mojito”, and for those who are new to spiced cocktails, the original creation “Festival of Colours” offers a milder introduction with its blend of pineapple, lime, paan syrup and turmeric.
The Indian influence is clear, even in the names. “1947: Independence” refers to India’s colonial history and uses the traditional spices cloves and mace, which formed the basis of the Indo-British spice trade.
The inspiration for the “New Delhi Duty Free” came to Boroski and Sachdev while they were in the duty free section at New Delhi airport. Rum and mango are mixed with a chilli-infused honey and the drink is served in a jar inside a duty free bag with your own Indian passport, a take-home souvenir.
To add to the experience, each drink is served in its own unique glass, described by Boroski as “custom vessels”. Some have been made in India especially for Charcoal, while the one used for the “1947: Independence”, a ceramic and copper vintage coffee mug, was tracked down on e-bay by Sachdev.
Charcoal has a spacious dining area with pool views and an outdoor seating section. The liquor display sits behind intricate cupboard doors, and there is an impressive spice library, with shelves of exotics flavours set against the back wall. Like the menu, Charcoal is modern and edgy, offering a cool variety of food and drinks in a sophisticated but inviting environment.
Boroski, a New York native who runs the Joseph Boroski Bar & Cocktail School Bangkok has been in the bar and cocktail industry for two decades in more than 24 countries. He has devoted this time to pushing the boundaries of cocktail making and working with 5-star restaurants and hotels around the world and is still looking to expand. In addition to Charcoal, which opened in 2014, Sachdev owns the hugely popular rooftop bar Above 11, both situated at Fraser Suites.
