This new cocktail menu turns flavour experiments into surprising hits in Begumpet

Sometimes you look at a menu and get completely baffled by the drink pairings, ingredients that don’t seem like they should work with alcohol, and flavours you simply can’t fathom. But that’s never really been a problem at Oxymorons. Their experiments are made to surprise, and more importantly, actually hit. That’s what their first menu proved, and this time around, we were back for more.

A bookshelf-hidden Begumpet bar doubles down on daring flavour mash-ups

This week, when we headed to the bar behind the bookshelf to try their new menu, and our hopes were high. We started with Clearly misunderstood — dondakaya, rice vinegar and green chilli with tequila, it was Oxymorons’ take on a picante. Unlike anything we’ve generally tasted, it had a crisp, clean flavour profile, finished with a dirty, savoury rim that adds just the right amount of pizzazz.

The Definitely maybe takes a fruitier turn, pairing velvety pomegranate with gin. Sumac brings in a sharp tang that cuts through the richness of the pomegranate, giving the drink a nice little edge without overpowering its fruity base.

From the food menu, we started with the snackish Garlic cream dip & potato chips. The rich, garlicky dip, scooped up with crisp chips, is exactly the kind of bar snack you keep going back to. Add a drizzle of chilli oil and you have yourself a winner.

The Vada pav, unbuttoned, is a spin on, you guessed it, the famous street snack. Spiced potato mousse with jowar chips gives you all the familiar flavours without the heaviness of the original.

The Poie sandwich brings together pillowy Goan bread and Andhra-spiced mushroom, while the Dumplings in goma dressing arrive in a creamy, toasty goma dressing with a fiery chicken filling. Then there’s the Kori roti & chicken ghee roast, with crispy, thin rice crêpes and succulent, spicy meat. Basically, if you’re looking for food that hits the spot, you’re spoilt for choice.

Back to the drinks, the Man child, made with blended whisky, mixed berries and croissant kvass, was sweet, fruity and nostalgic. Think mixed fruit punch from your childhood, but with a little more attitude.

Then came The Real knockoff, tequila with cream cheese and onion soda, served alongside a few bites of cream and onion chips. Sweet, tangy and smooth, it tastes like everything you love about the snack, only in cocktail form. And that’s pretty much the Oxymorons experience: combinations that sound slightly mad on paper, but somehow come together beautifully once they hit the table.

Meal for two: Rs 5,000++.

5 pm to 12 am. At Begumpet.

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