Cocktail menu captures Bangkok’s ‘colourful dynamism’
Stella, the riverside bar at the Capella hotel in Bangkok, has unveiled a cocktail menu titled Journey into the New Siam.
The drinks list is inspired by both the ‘timeless elegance’ of Royal Thai traditions and the ‘kaleidoscopic energy’ of modern-day Bangkok.
The menu, which launched at the end of September, revolves around the lotus flower, which the bar describes as an emblem of balance, elegance and evolution. The bar team aim to embody the flower’s poise to elevate familiar Thai ingredients.
Journey into the New Siam features 19 cocktails, divided into three chapters: Bangkok and its Evolution, Stella’s Signature Revivals, and Drink Like a Local.
The first section comprises 12 cocktails, reflecting the 12 diverse districts of Thailand’s capital city.
Highlights include the Mango Moonlight, inspired by the Bang Kho Laem district. The area is a melting pot of Thai, Chinese, and Indian influences, where century-old markets coexist with modern high-rises. The district’s ‘smoky, tropical’ influence is reflected in the cocktail’s use of Ardbeg 10-year-old Scotch and Nam Dok Mai mango, which are combined with The Macallan Double Cask 12-year-old, Tio Pepe fino Sherry, Mancino Vermouth Bianco Ambrato and Paragon rue berry cordial.
The alternative district of Pom Prap Sattru Phai, the birthplace of Muay Thai, is represented through My Thai, a slushy-like serve that combines Bumbu Rum with Havana three-year-old, Cha Thai tea, coconut milk and Disaronno.
This section also features four non-alcoholic cocktails, including the Dockside, which is made with Sabatini 0.0, tomato water, Taeng Mo watermelon, Paragon timur berry cordial, celery and CO2.
Stella’s Signature Revivals, meanwhile, offers seven riffs on classic cocktails. For instance, the Umami Martini blends Grey Goose Vodka, Patrón Añejo Tequila, Mancino Vermouth Secco, Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, white miso butter and makrut lime, and is served ice cold alongside Stella’s vegan ‘caviar’.
The menu concludes with Drink Like a Local, which offers a seasonally changing Ya Dong Experience. Ya Dong is a traditional Thai spirit, similar to moonshine, which was once revered for its medicinal potency and ritualistic roots.
The experience begins at the bar, where the air is scented with herbs and spices. Each edition is crafted to reflect the rhythm of the seasons and the ingredients in bloom.
Stella’s new bar manager, Miriam Nini, directed the creation of the menu.
In other Asia bar news, Hong Kong’s Bar Leone was named best in the world last week.
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