Sibel Karabeyoglu goes behind the “stick” at the city’s top nightlife venues to try their best selling cocktails. Check out what she found on her journey into alcohol Candyland.
The city’s bar scene has really blossomed over the years. Anyone who has been here for 5 years or longer knows drinking out meant choosing between beer and wine, and the occasional vodka tonic. Well, the recent saturation of the bar scene has meant competition, which means more variety, hurrah!
And because what’s in these oh-so-trendy drinks is difficult to decipher at first glance, er, taste, even for the most experienced boozers, Time Out has discovered the ‘secrets of the mix’. Venues such as Otto, Lucca, Babylon and Picante serve the best of the best and during this time of serious budgeting, you might not be able to afford a 25TL here and there. So, if you wanna get creative, have a party at home and make these fabulous drinks for guests, just don’t tell them where the recipe’s from!
Otto Tünel
Gelincik Vodka (aka Little Bride Vodka) Also can be had as a shot. Serves 1, price: 25 TL
Ingredients:
3 limes
Basil leaves
1 lemon
Vodka
Gelincik (corn rose flower) sorbet (very hard to find, unfortunately) Alternative- a
blackberry syrup
A secret ingredient (undisclosed to us and our prying eyes)
Ice
A shaker and stirrer
Frozen blackberries
Directions:
Squeeze three limes into the glass and then the lemon. Then rip up the basil and put that in the glass as well. Pour in 7cl of vodka and fill the remaining section to the brim with gelincik sorbet. Crush up the ice cubes and put in to chill. Throw the frozen blackberries on top and drink up.
The verdict:
This drink is more sweet than sour. The gelincik sorbet that comes from the corn rose flower is very rare and hard to find. Because it contains a secret ingredient, Otto suggested using blackberry syrup as a substitute. A berry-tastic drink if you ask us.
Picante
Margarita pitchers!
How to make a Margarita without the mix. Serves 5-6 people, price: 80TL, glass:17.50TL
Ingredients:
Tequila
Cointreau (or orange liqueur)
2 lemons
1 lime
3 dessert spoons of powdered sugar
Kaya salt or sea salt
Directions:
Squeeze the lemons and the lime into the pitcher, then add 25 cl of Tequila and 12.5 cl of Cointreau. Place the sugar in with a spoonful of salt and lots of ice. Mix in the blender for approx 3 mins until mixed. Salt the edges of your glasses and throw a slice of lime for décor. Muy bien!
The verdict:
These margaritas might not taste like what you’re used to without the margarita mix, but they still manage to taste just as great.
Lucca
The Lucca Apple Vodka drink. Serves 1, price: 26TL
Ingredients:
Smirnoff vodka
Cointreau
1 lime
Sugar syrup (preferably a slightly sour tasting one)
1 green apple
Directions:
Slice half the apple into tiny chunks and squeeze the lime as much as possible, add into glass. Add 2 cl of the syrup, 2.5 cl of the Cointreau and 7.5 cl of Smirnoff vodka. Lots of ice. Mix it up as best you can and serve cold.
The verdict:
A great drink, with a light refreshing taste, this drink is one of Lucca’s most popular, selling a little over 100 a night.
Babylon
The Starwars cocktail. Serves 1, price: 25 TL
Ingredients:
Southern Comfort
Amaretto
Sweet & sour (lemon juice and syrup)
Sprite
Ice
Sliced lemons
Directions:
Take a large glass and add 3 cl of Southern Comfort. Gradually add in 3 cl of the sweet & sour mix. Throw in 2 or 3 ice cubes, the pour in 2 cl of the Amaretto. Splash off the drink with some sprite and place a lemon on the side, or in the drink for an extra kick and cool look. Mix well with a stirrer.
The verdict:
This drink, unlike many found in the city contains Southern Comfort, a sweet warm alcohol, but very potent, so drink responsibly! The Starwars cocktail has its name for a reason, mixing dark alcohol with light, or “good and evil,” the drink prevails as a savior any night of the week.