Zuma Hong Kong’s Arkadiusz Rybak pays homage to Japan’s legendary samurais with the subtle Nippon inspiration of the new Bushido cocktail menu.
One of Hong Kong’s most popular nightspots, Zuma has created a new cocktail series inspired by some of Japan’s most iconic samurai warriors. The Bushido cocktail menu takes its name from the collective term for the codes of honour and ideals that the Samurai lived by and celebrates the lives of four male and three female samurais. Each drink presents a twist on a classic cocktail with distinctly Japanese flavours, as well as some rather unexpected ones!
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Winner of Bartender of the Year 2016, Arkadiusz is a master of creating off-the-wall concepts and his newest menu is no different, with each cocktail is carefully crafted around bushido legends and the narrative flavour and smell can induce. In addition, Zuma has sourced unique handmade ceramic ware by three Japanese potters – Takeshi Nakamoto, Hideaki Numano and Makoto Oki – to complete the experience, with a different vessel used for each drink.
Amongst the seven new cocktails is the Honda Negroni, which has been created in honour of the famed samurai Honda Tadakatsu, a feared general said to have never been wounded in battle. Made with a unique mix of Tanqueray gin, umeshu, Campari, Mancino Rosso, shiso, and clay, this stand out cocktail is well matched to its namesake.
Taking advantage of the white truffle season, Arkadiusz’s Futaba Gin Fizz is a creamy libation that salutes the life of female samurai Futaba Yamakawa, who fought against the Meiji restoration that successfully sought to abolish the samurai class. The delicate combination of Tanqueray, yuzu, Hokkaido soft cheese, cream, coconut, truffle egg white, and soda water is served in a specially created tall white ceramic cup.
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The Takeda Margarita, a citrusy mix of Don Julio Blanco, burned Japanese eggplant, yuzu sake, yuzu juice, and yuzukosho, celebrates Takeda Shingen, known as the most feared general to emerge from the Sengoku era. Shingen was one of few men to decisively defeat Oda Nobunaga and his troops, who were on course to conquer large areas of Japan. Much like the samurai who inspired it, this margarita is an absolute hero.
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