Avinda Ranganath is the bar manager at Michelin Guide Dubai restaurant, Tàn Chá, located in Business Bay, and the mixologist behind the fine dining restaurant’s reputable cocktail menu. The cocktails at Tàn Chá are inspired by flight and the crane bird, as well as other myths and parables that represent each drink.
Ranganath talked about the inspiration behind the menu, the Tàn Chá logo, which displays a crane, and from there this Chinese venue’s cocktail menu was created based on the story of a flight of the bird on a journey of discovery and adventure. “Each spirit selected for our drinks is matched with a Chinese mythological creature or deity and created into a fable,” he added. “On our menu, all drinks are inspired by classics or modern classics cocktails. The Meeting the Golden Ox is an improved, modernised version of a drink based on the classic paloma.”
Meeting the Golden Ox is a customer favorite at Tàn Chá because of the grapefruit flavour and the tequila base, an exquisite and refreshing combination of sweet and sour and effervescence smock that inspires Avinda to create more of his mouthwatering concoctions.
The origins of the paloma are unknown. It is one of the most popular tequila-based drinks in Mexico and it is named after La Paloma (the dove) a popular folk song. The paloma wasn’y created until 1938 in Phoenix, Mexico, later than the usual classics. It gained quite some popularity across the US when a restaurant in Orange County, California introduced it to its menu.
The drink’s original flavour profile impressed customers and its transparent hue was visually appealing to them. Some guests particularly enjoyed drinking different versions of paloma while discussing the complexity of the drink and comparing it to other cocktails. Then there are guests who discover the drink for the first time and get inspired by the combination of its flavours and immediately request another.
According to Ranganath, Meeting the Golden Ox stands out from other options on the beverage list because of its mix of tequila and mezcal with the addition of sriracha powder blended with maldon salt to balance the drink. He recommends savoring this drink and foregoing the straw, while preferably enjoying it before dinner or as a nightcap.
If you find this as intriguing as we do, join us at top Chinese restaurant Tàn Chá for the best Asian cuisine and a unique and marvelous beverage programme, courtesy of our mixology experts.