The mythic Atlas menu for an epic location; a brief Live Twice review, and more.

In this issue:

• How to build a cocktail list that matches its epic surrounds;
• The Two Drink Review: Live Twice;
• The Last Word — Asia’s Bartenders’ Bartender.

Welcome back to Boothby’s Singapore Briefing, one in which I’m still thinking of the excellent Spumoni Gin Fizz at Live Twice.

This week we’re looking at the art of the menu, and specifically, how Atlas bar manager Esmeralda Castrogiovanni conceived of their latest offering. When you’ve got a room that is spectacular as Atlas is, it can be a challenge to pull the guest’s focus onto the drinks — but with drinks as delicious as their Apple Aria, Esmeralda may have found the way to do it.

The quiz is back, and Vesper-themed. How well do you know the history of this drink? Find out below.

Which leads me to the brief Two Drink Review for this instalment: it’s the aforementioned bar from the Jigger & Pony Group, Live Twice.

Let’s get into it.

And a reminder, you can access all our Singapore and Asia stories at boothby.asia, along with each edition of this email briefing. In the meantime, do give us a follow on Instagram at @boothbydrinks, and send any tips, intel, or feedback to me direct at sam@boothby.com.au. I’d love to hear from you.

Okay, let’s get into it.

The List: how the Atlas menu came together

Our menu is split into seven chapters — this represents the seven daughters of Atlas.

To step inside Atlas, which celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, is to step inside one of the most remarkable bar rooms anywhere in the world: stunningly high ceilings, intricate details carved into the walls, an interior design from another time. Look around at your fellow guests, and you’ll see their necks craned upwards. 

All of this means that the job of the drinks at Atlas have quite a task ahead of them, with even the most spectacular of serves playing second fiddle to the room.

Not one to shirk from a challenge, however, new head bartender Esmeralda Castrogiovanni is drawing on a them as mythic as the room is epic.

BOOTHBY: Tell us what inspired the new menu?

ESMERALDA CASTROGIOVANNI: It’s a little bit different in style than usual. This year we are introducing the daughters of Atlas, inspired by the Greek mythology. Our menu is split into seven chapters — this represents the seven daughters of Atlas.

Every daughter has a different character and mood, and we try to express the cocktails into the mood of the sister.

For example, we start with the first chapter, is Alcyone. Alcyone is the most calm and sober sister — and we have the non-alcoholic drinks here. 

Then we have the sisters. Every time you flip the page the sister gets a little wilder with different characters.

Merope is also very calm and very hidden — therefore we have two low-ABV drinks. And then we have Sterope, which is representing the sudden moments, unplanned nights. That’s the tropical drinks. Tropical drinks — but representing Atlas style. You will not find like blended drinks or big garnishes. It’s served in a very elegant way.

Then we have Maia. Maia is transporting flavours. So that’s why you will see later on like why it’s transporting flavors because there’s a lot of ingredients that are transporting from one side to another. And Taygete, you have stronger drinks, a little bit more on the wild side. Electra, is a little bit rebellious — so here we start the party mood on.

And then we close out with Celaeno, hiding a little bit on the dark side. These are the drinks when you want to close the night. You have the Camera Obscura and Illusionist, drinks that are very strong, but very complex as well.

We still keep our classics, our Gin & Tonics and the Martini flights, but we’ve also addded a Negroni Ritual, which is a small Negroni flight.

BOOTHBY: Do you have any shortcuts where you can see the menu at a glance?

ESMERALDA CASTROGIOVANNI:  Yes, for the people who are tired after work, you have all the drinks on one page as well. We start with the low ABV going to the strongest, so it’s very easy to navigate. Sometimes I like to look at the menu to see the concept. Sometimes I really don’t feel like looking at the menu, or maybe you’re one on one with a person and you don’t really want to take your time reading through. This one page summary is very easy because you have all the glassware, all the ABV — it’s very easy going, straightforward.

BOOTHBY: What’s it like moving from Europe to Asia and then working on a menu inspired by the Greek myths?

ESMERALDA CASTROGIOVANNI: I’m very excited. When I was working on this menu together with the team, I started to think about where I have been during my years, mostly in Europe, or when I grew up, what was thing that reminds me of my childhood? Or something that represents say Malta, Spain or Italy. I also lived sometime in Greece. So it made me reflect a little bit on my career.

BOOTHBY: How long have you been here at Atlas? What’s your journey to here?

ESMERALDA CASTROGIOVANNI: It’s now about seven months. I was in Barcelona for three years, and this opportunity came unexpectedly. I’d never been to Asia. And Atlas is one of the bars I really, really appreciate what they do.

BOOTHBY: There’s not another room quite like it, right? 

ESMERALDA CASTROGIOVANNI: It’s beautiful. I always say this is the only place where it looks better than pictures. — B.

If you’re a fan of tie-bars and a strong 1950s design aesthetic, Live Twice is your one and only. At this Jigger & Pony Group venue you’ll find grey-suited bartenders delivering a subtle and classy service style; a communal table for 10 extends from the bar — only two or three metres in width — at one end of the room; the table is cut with nooks that encourage conversation across it (though the people I was sat with very much kept to themselves); a mirror above the bar top allows a view of the drinks assembly happening from the back of the room.

There’s a generous happy hour between 6pm and 8pm — the Spumoni Gin Fizz (Tanqueray Gin, grapefruit sorbet, lemon, tonic, $16) is as fine a cocktail to begin one’s night with as you’ll find anywhere: light, fluffy and airy, with a hint of pleasant grapefruit and tonic bitterness. Apertivo sorted.

Your bartender, Luca Lulli, is knowledgeable and armed with suggestions be they for a drink or your next drinking destination; the Vesper (Ki No Bi Sei Gin, Absolut Elyx, Tempus Fugit Kina L’Aero D’Or, Fernet Hunter Granit, $28) is offered with your choice of glassware, shaken, and strained with a wider strainer so that some ice shards adorn the top of the drink, keeping the drink alive and cold. I’m a fan.

A cold Martini calls for some iron-rich protein, I find, and their wagyu katsu sando ($44) is a (pricey) satisfying marriage of beefiness, fat and acid, that’ll have you asking for a refresh of your Martini.