Photo: Nest
NIGHT PROWL – I have yet to meet a soul who doesn’t fancy a good, old-fashioned mojito. The history of this highball is lofty one – originating in Cuba, though exactly how it came to be is unknown. It could be the spin-off of a drink from the 1600’s called “El Draque” or, as some say, a concoction that was used to cool down African slaves toiling in the country. Either way, the mojito has rose to prominence in pop culture as a refreshing drink for a hot day. Best of all it’s simple – just white rum, sugar, sparkling water and lime juice muddled with mint.
Here’s our list of Bangkok’s five best spots to get your lips mojadito (a little wet) on a mojito in no particular order:
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Ernest Hemingway once scrawled on the wall of his favorite Havana watering hole: “My mojito in La Bodeguita.” To this day, that memento can be found in La Bodeguita and it’s a testament to how dry the prolific American author’s existence would be if he’d never had a mojito. So of course, Hemingway’s – a new restaurant dedicated to the tastes of the 1920’s – has a full range of mojitos for only THB195 a pop, served up in generous shaker glasses. While the bartender says the classic is the most popular, Hemingway’s also serves up flavors like fresh spearmint, cucumber and strawberry. There’s also a “Mojito Diablo” with crème de cassis and white tequila and Sprite substituting rum and soda respectively.
This sweet little bar on the back-end of Sukhumvit 11 is well known for it’s intimate atmosphere and killer cocktails, but what you might not know is that a traditional mojito (THB 190) happens to be among the Alchemist’s best sellers. We suspect that’s because of bartender Net’s no-frills-and-fuss approach to the highball, using of just a healthy dose of brown sugar and lime, a handful of mint leaves and a heavy pour of rum. For something more left field, try the passion fruit mojito (THB190) or cinnamon mojito (THB220) made with the Alchemist’s signature cinnamon syrup. The Alchemist also does a mean mint julep, the mojito’s sister highball.
For a sturdy THB650, you can splurge on a fancy-pants mojito at the world’s highest open-air bar. Sirocco’s take comes with all the usual fixings, measured and poured to perfection, of course. The finishing touch is a douse of kaffir lime for that distinctly Thai taste. While it may sound overpriced, this mojito is nothing short of a sure bet.
Viva 8 at JJ Market has to be one of the coolest places to hang out on a Sunday afternoon, with chilled-out beats and unbeatable scenery for people-watching. If you haven’t checked it out yet, the bar’s mouthwatering mojito is as good an excuse as any. For only THB 220, you can cool down in Viva 8’s enclave with a mojito spruced with brown sugar and a sugar cane to boot.
If you’re going for sheer quantity and girth of mojito, Nest Rooftop Lounge in Le Fenix Hotel has the answer. By popular demand, the bar is now serving their giant mojitos every day of the week. The price starts at THB280, buckets at THB588 or a tower bigger than your noggin for THB2,354.
Make-Your-Own
Surprisingly, getting comfy at home and throwing together a mojito or two isn’t all that difficult. Here are the steps to creating a mojito, according to bartending instructor Korranath Tham-Amnuaysuk of Bar Art Academy:
Ingredients:
-Eight to 10 mint leaves
-Three to five chunks of fruit (kiwi, strawberry, orange, etc.)
-Four to six lime wedges
-Simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar boiled lightly)
-Rum
-Soda
-Crushed Ice
Recipe:
-Chop fruit into small pieces and drop into glass
-Squeeze and drop lime wedges
-Add 20 to 30 mL of simple syrup
-Clap mint leaves in your hands to release the aroma, then add to glass
-Add 45 to 60 mL of white rum
-Fill one-third of the glass with crushed ice and stir
-Add 30 to 40 mL of soda
-Fill another one-third of the glass with crushed ice
-Stir the mixture upwards to create texture in the glass (or if only to make the it look awesome!)
-Fill the rest of the glass with crushed ice for a fresh look.
-Garnish with a mint spring and enjoy!
