Fresh raspberries, cranberry, orgeat & citrus — Colonel Saab London
Colonel Saab is one of London's most theatrical Indian dining experiences — named after the fictional British-Indian army officer whose portrait gazes imperiously from the walls, it occupies the ornate Victorian spaces of Holborn Town Hall and a grand Trafalgar Square building. The Noora is named for a character in the Colonel Saab story — 'we light up your day' is the cocktail's stated purpose. The zero-proof version (£8.95, listed explicitly as an alcohol-free option on the Trafalgar menu) delivers exactly that: the brightness of fresh raspberries, the depth of cranberry, the floral almond sweetness of orgeat, and citrus to lift it all. It is the most popular alcohol-free order at the restaurant.
Orgeat is the key to this drink's character — its rich almond-floral sweetness transforms raspberries from tart to complex. Monin Almond Syrup is widely available but proper orgeat (Small Hand Foods or BG Reynolds) is significantly better. Fresh raspberries are essential — frozen raspberries release too much water and dilute the drink.
An elegant homage to the era of the Indian Army officer — refined North and Central Indian cuisine in a handsome Holborn dining room. Colonel Saab's bar programme is built on house-spiced spirits and techniques drawn from both the subcontinent and the British raj era, producing some of London's most inventive Indian cocktails.
Visit colonelsaab.co.uk