Following the success of its ‘5 for 5 @ 5’ winter cocktail menu, Rosso Restaurant has returned with is summer instalment – and it does not disappoint.
The Rio Ferdinand-owned bar and restaurant is building up quite a following and, with that, an impressive collection of some of the world’s finest spirits.
Limited edition Tanqueray Malacca gin, Ketel One citroen vodka from a Dutch family distillery and a £4,000 bottle of Jamaican rum all grace the shelves behind the bar.
And Bar Manager Sasha Svatek believes the menu’s selection – five perfectly-constructed cocktails for £5 each from 5-8pm Monday to Friday – is a perfect taster of what this unique bar has to offer.
“The whole point of the 5 for 5 is that it is a snapshot of what we do,” he said. “We’re not high on gimmicks – we could get chemical apparatus, but we’d rather get quality ingredients.”
The menu begins with a Strawberry, Basil & Balsamic Mojito, which is, quite frankly, a treat for almost all the senses.
The full-flavoured Pampero Blanco rum and tangy Galliano Balsamico fuse with the enticing aroma of a solitary basil leaf to guarantee the drink slips down quicker than you intended.
Moving on to the Capri Collins – a variation on the classic, but with the addition of a lemon sorbet scoop – you have a perfect summer afternoon cooler.
The Il Cosmo Nero is an indulgent maraschino treat, packed full of fruity flavours – citrus, cherry and blackberry compete to excellent effect – before moving on to another summery tipple.
The Rossini is another variation on a classic – a prosecco cocktail with the delightful addition of a house-made wild strawberry puree.
Finally, the Pompelmo Sour – grapefruit-infused vodka, Aperol and bitters – completes the comprehensive range of flavours across just five simple concoctions.
Sasha is delighted with the results – largely thanks to a driven and inventive bar staff – and preaches the idea of a custom-built selection of summer drinks, rather than simply slashing prices in a ‘happy hour’.
“Lead cocktails shouldn’t be discounted,” he added. “These are done with full measures – they are done properly.
“If people see that we do good cocktails, then they will be like ‘what are the £8 cocktails like, what are the £10 cocktails like?’”
“You have got a real glimpse into what we are about and hopefully you want to come back again.”
Visit http://www.rossorestaurants.com/ for more information.
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