A Sunny Day calls for some Refreshing Cocktails at Epitome, Lower Parel

We were walking in the lanes of Mathuradas Mill in Lower Parel on a sunny afternoon. Sounds like a madness right? Well, let’s ignore that but we couldn’t restrain the scorching heat and were tired of walking and that’s when we spotted a global dining and crafted cocktail restaurant - Epitome. We couldn't resist and went in straight to try their exclusive cocktails curated for summer. 

Upon entering we were surprised to see the spacious yet elegant ambience. To our left was a signage featuring the restaurant's name and a musical set-up that was probably decked up for the live-music night that day. As we walked further, we couldn't stop but adore the murals and portraits on the walls along with illumined chandeliers on the ceiling. Only when we were looking at the chandeliers we noticed there was another floor which had a setting to be enjoyed from the top. Without much ado, we started looking for their summer special cocktails menu but our wait for the drinks was going to stretch a bit longer as the bartender was setting up the bar. The staff was generous enough to serve us food in the meantime which was as delicious as it looked.

Just when we were enjoying the food, there came a voice “Sir, the bar is ready” and we immediately walked over to witness the process of cocktail-making. 

The bartender started with the preparation of a drink named ‘The Beach Brat.’ This vodka-based cocktail was a refreshing concoction of fresh watermelon muddled with basil leaves, accentuated with a pinch of chat masala and lime juice. Served in a Collins glass, this was a perfect blend of juicy watermelon muddled in vodka to quench our thirst. 

While we were still relishing the taste of ‘The Beach Brat', the next drink was ready for us at the bar table. This was the ‘Maddies Fruity Fizz’ which was a mango-based cocktail. I left the previous drink and ran for it because mangoes are everyone’s weakness. This drink was made with mango puree muddled with fresh ginger and infused with vodka. Curious I ended up asking the bartender, “Do mangoes and alcohol go well together?” To which he replied, “Yes sir, they go very well together and we have added ginger to it, which makes it a special summer drink specifically curated by us.” I took a sip of it and let me tell you, it was amazing. 

The drink was topped with a mango slice, so of course I was having it and there was a call for our third drink - ‘The Happy Childhood'. As true to its name, this was a comparatively lighter drink than the other two, which was made with a blend of black pepper, pineapple, and pineapple juice muddled with mint, layered over crushed ice. White rum added a Caribbean twist to this cocktail which was pretty average according to me. 

We should have stopped at 3 drinks but who could say no to the last one? Jumping on to our last and final drink, which was named ‘Tears of Illinois’ literally left me in happy tears with its refreshing and unique taste. The mixologists-special, specifically curated fresh grapes muddled with rosemary, balanced with lime juice and sugar syrup and infused with vodka was a perfect end to the drinks saga. “People generally don’t experiment with rosemary leaves but we found a perfect combination and so wanted our customers to try it to beat the summer heat,” said the bartender. To which I replied, “Indeed, it was a pretty successful experiment.” and that’s how we ended our lazy summer days when stepping out in the sun. 

Where: Epitome, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Plot 242, NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai.

When: Ongoing till June end.