Sotol, tequila, fresh pineapple juice & house cilantro cordial — Bungalow NYC
Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri) is distilled from the desert spoon plant — a grass-like succulent native to the Chihuahuan Desert — and produces a spirit with an earthy, slightly vegetal character distinct from both tequila and mezcal. Bungalow's bar programme, led under Chef Vikas Khanna's direction, has never been afraid to use non-Indian spirits when they serve the drink — the food at Bungalow is Indian, but the cocktail philosophy is global. Sotol's desert character is the counterintuitive pairing with tropical pineapple that makes the drink work: the earthiness cuts the pineapple's sweetness and adds a dimension that tequila alone cannot provide. The cilantro cordial (cooked gently to preserve the herb's citrus-floral qualities without the green-soapy note that raw cilantro can have) is Bungalow's bridge between the drink's Mexican spirits and the South Asian kitchen.
Sotol is increasingly available at well-stocked liquor stores and online. If unavailable, substitute with an extra 30ml of blanco tequila — the drink loses its desert-earthy complexity but remains excellent. The cilantro cordial is made by gentle heat (not boiling) to preserve the bright, citrusy-floral quality of fresh cilantro rather than cooking it into a flat, grassy note. This cordial is also excellent in gin cocktails and margaritas. The crispy fried cilantro garnish is a Bungalow signature touch.
Bungalow in the East Village captures the warmth and chaos of an Indian party at home — the kind where the drinks are strong, the food comes in waves, and no one leaves early. The cocktail menu is adventurous and confident, featuring Indian-inspired creations built on solid bartending technique: clarified punches, house-infused spirits, and drinks that treat Indian ingredients with the same seriousness as any other craft bar.
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