Comorin, named India's Best Restaurant Bar for three consecutive years, made its mark in Bengaluru with a dazzling pop-up event at UNO Izakaya in JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru. On February 2nd, starting at 8:00 PM, the renowned Gurugram-based restaurant and craft cocktail bar transformed the UNO Izakaya bar into a haven for exceptional cocktails.

Guests embarked on a sensory journey curated by Varun Sharma, Head of Bars at EHV International and Head Mixologist at Comorin. He had been in the industry for over 17 years, and he strongly believes in using ingredients that guests can relate to. The Bengaluru pop-up offered a sneak peek into Comorin's celebrated bar program—an artistic venture recognized for its innovation, featuring craft cocktails, house-made liqueurs, and bespoke infusions.

“Our guests are always at the heart of our thought process and today’s guests are very well-travelled and open to trying newer, bolder flavors. All our drinks have ingredients that resonate with guests because they might have tried the flavours at some point of time, but we try and add our own spin to it, evoking nostalgia,” he said.

This is not Comorin’s first pop-up; however, it is their first pop-up in Bengaluru. “We are excited to be in Bengaluru as the city is extremely diverse, warm and welcoming. There is also a wide variety of cuisines available in the city and we are looking forward to introducing and showcasing new flavours that are not commonly used in cocktails,” Varun Sharma said prior to the event.

Comorin offers regional Indian comfort food that evokes nostalgia and the chef plays on the flavours to create a surprise element in most dishes. Following this thought, the beverages at Comorin are designed to invoke nostalgia. Additionally, Comorin also uses a few additional flavors to create surprising elements. For example, the establishment makes fruit leathers to use as garnish.

Comorin highlights locally sourced ingredients. The best example is their Jamun based drink. “We feature this drink as it is a summer staple in Delhi and NCR region, where trees are laden with Jamun. We also wanted to support the local fruit vendors by creating a seasonal drink. This drink has become such a rage and guests keep calling us to check its availability because it’s a seasonal drink,” he added.

Comorin has an innovative Sous Vide live infusion counter. Sous Vide is a slow cooking method with vacuum and controlled temperature which is typically used in European cooking. “We have been using this technique to flash infuse flavors from natural ingredients and hence do not have to use any artificial flavor enhancers. Using this method creates a flavour bomb that enhances our cocktails,” adds Sharma proudly. He emphasizes that it is the ingredients and the taste that brings back memories. 

Hosted within the luxurious JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru, known for its commitment to unparalleled experiences and sophisticated ambiance, the collaboration promised an evening of extravagance and culinary mastery. 

Sharma recommends Rice and Shine Cocktail. It has Malfy Limone Gin mixed with their homemade Mango and Rice cordial and they add Roasted Pineapple Fino to it that goes really well with Chicken Yakitori, which are chicken skewers with Soya Sauce and vegetables on top.

The hotel's central location in Bengaluru seamlessly blended modern comfort and opulence, providing the perfect backdrop for the Comorin pop-up.

In Varun’s words, “The world of bars and cocktails is everchanging and so are the trends. Bartenders also want to be sustainable and are using local and seasonal ingredients. Another trend is experimenting with new and different flavors. We are also trying to recreate dishes through cocktails such as the Tom Yum Gimlet, Tom Kha Colada and Mango Rice. Technology is also becoming a big part of the bar industry as bartenders are now using cool gadgets, making mixology nothing less than experimenting in a chemistry lab! Bartenders are also putting a lot of thought and effort into bringing out unexplored flavours for guests who do not consume alcohol.” 

As a special treat, the pop-up event offered unique food pairings with cocktails at UNO Izakaya, elevating the overall experience. This fusion of flavors, complemented by Comorin's signature drinks, ensured an unforgettable evening for both connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.