Dinner And Drinks: A Match Made In Cocktail Heaven

For years, wine has reigned supreme when it comes to food pairings. But cocktails offer a dynamic and delicious alternative. Whether it’s the refreshing zest of a citrusy margarita with spicy tacos or the rich, smoky undertones of an Old Fashioned with a hearty steak, the right cocktail can elevate your dining experience.

The rise in the popularity of cocktails as the beverage partner with your meals is a natural progression thanks to the great cocktail evolution in India. With several innovative flavours, textures, and ingredients, cocktails make for a versatile pairing with various types of cuisine.

Setting a more culturally relevant context for India, Varun Sharma, head of bars HOSA and Fireback, Goa that overlook the serene Chapora river and are from the family of Indian Accent—one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants says, “From childhood memories to present-day habits, we’ve enjoyed chai with samosas and pakoras and lassi with parathas—pairings mastered by our mothers and grandmothers. For mixologists, it presents an exciting challenge to craft cocktails that complement different dishes while understanding their flavours.” At Fireback Goa, Sharma recommends the Mango Rice cocktail, a playful take on the classic Thai street food, Mango Sticky Rice, with a Three Flavour Squid; or the Tom Yum Gimlet with Masaman Curry. Both the pairings are designed to accentuate common culinary roots.

How To Pair Cocktails With Food

The tenets of pairing cocktails with food remain the same with wine, whisky or any other spirit. “The ultimate objective remains unchanged: to elevate the overall experience by harmonising flavours that either complement or bolster each other, as seen in the combined effect of the cocktail and the cuisine,” explains Nikhil Agarwal, CEO, All Things Nice, a Mumbai-based luxury spirits and wine experiential agency. The acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and herbal notes in cocktails can amplify or highlight specific flavours in the dish, making the overall taste experience more enjoyable.

Some of India’s best bartenders shared a three-point reckoner on the key components of a great cocktail and food pairing:

Flavour Profile: Consider the flavour profile of both the cocktail and the dish. Look for complementary or contrasting flavours that will enhance the overall taste experience. For example, a sweet cocktail can balance a savoury dish, while a citrusy cocktail can complement a bright and citrusy dish.
Intensity: Cocktails have a higher ABV compared to wine, so when a short drink, highball or long drink is served is important. Matching the strength of the cocktail with the bold notes of the dish also ensures a balanced pairing. A Japanese highball of whisky and soda pairs excellently with starters at the beginning of a meal because it sets a fizzy and refreshing tone for the dining experience.
Balance: “Aim for balance between the flavours and intensity levels to prevent one from overpowering the other. Pay attention to the flavour profile and look for complementary flavours that tie the two together,” says Dwayne D’mello, bar head at La Panthera and La Loca Maria modern European restaurants in Mumbai helmed by Chef Manuel Olveira and his wife Mickee Tuljapurkar.

“You have to understand the type of cocktail you’re pairing the food with. For instance, you will pair a spicy and tangy margarita with a rich and flavourful dish, while a light herb-inspired cocktail will complement a salad,” further explains Stanley Fernandes, Corporate Bar Manager, Butterfly High. Butterfly High is a high energy dining space in Mumbai with multiple locations. There has to be synchronous enjoyment, where each sip of the cocktail enhances the flavours of the dish, and each bite of the food elevates the experience of the cocktail.

What Role Do Spirits Play In Cocktail And Food Pairing

A lot of this also depends on the spirit base, each with its unique personality, such as juniper in gin and smokiness of a mezcal. “The flavour profile, intensity, and botanicals of the spirit will get the food pairing influence,” Dishant Kanojia, mixologist at The Yard at The Swinton House Jaipur–a 150-year-old bungalow that has been reimagined as a bar and kitchen. Whiskey bourbon cocktails often have robust, complex flavours with notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, and spice and pair well with hearty dishes like grilled meats. Gin cocktails are known for their botanical and herbaceous flavours, often featuring juniper, citrus, floral, and herbal notes and therefore complement lighter fare such as seafood. Vodka cocktails are versatile and can accompany a range of dishes, and rum cocktails pair nicely with tropical seafood.

“While there aren’t strict rules, aim for balance and experiment with pairings to find what works best for your taste. Also, keep in mind that some ingredients may not work well together and bring out heartburn and allergies, this is an important factor to keep in mind,” warns Ryan Acharya, Co-Founder, Akina Mumbai, a contemporary Japanese restaurant.

Is Pairing Indian Food With Cocktails Challenging?

Indian regional cuisines presents both a challenge and opportunity for pairing with cocktails. “Indian dishes present a challenge when pairing cocktails and food because they have bold flavours and spices. However, Indian dishes also offer an opportunity to experiment and pair with cocktails that can stand up to their bold flavours,” explains Vaibhav Billava, mixologist at Mumbai’s Napoli By Shatranj. If you keep the above mentioned three-point checklist as a building block, the diversity in ingredients and flavours presents unchartered opportunities. Cocktails with bold flavours, such as those incorporating spices, herbs, or tropical fruits, can complement and enhance the complexity of Indian dishes, while the same dishes can be a source of inspiration to create unique fusion drinks.

Pairing cocktails and food eventually is a matter of trial and error. There will be many failures before a gem of a pairing emerges. But here are some sure shot cocktail and food pairing that our expert mixologists recommend: