Journey Across India’s Forests With The Wild Spirits Menu At The Lodhi

What if a cocktail could transport you into a forest, where across the grassland a blackbuck vanishes into the horizon, where the scent of wet earth fills the air, or at a coast, where the olive ridley turtles make their much-anticipated visit?

At The Lodhi’s Safari Lounge, the new Wild Spirits menu aims to achieve just that. Dining amid dim lights and beautifully captured photographs of the wild, the lounge offers a drinking experience that offers not just a cocktail roster but a safari through India’s forests. As Abhimanyu Singh Lodha, the General Manager at The Lodhi, said, “Every drink is prepared with great attention to detail, ingredient, and flavour. What better setting than the Safari Lounge to release a menu inspired by India’s wild and untamed landscapes?”

The menu gives Bengal’s Sundarbans, Gujarat’s Gir, Kerala’s Periyar, Uttarakhand‘s Corbett, Assam’s Kaziranga, the Himalayas, and Odisha‘s coast their own expression through spirits, local ingredients, textures, and garnishes. The result is a menu where the journey matters as much as the drink.

I had the chance to undertake the eight-chapter journey myself, and what I found most compelling was the inventiveness and imagination behind the menu’s theme. Rather than relying solely on optics and storytelling, the cocktails use flavour to evoke a sense of place.

The journey begins in the mangroves with The Sunderbans Tide, a cocktail inspired by the Sundarbans’ landscape, where freshwater and saltwater meet. Smoky tequila forms the base and is lifted by Gondoraj lime, a sharp, aromatic citrus. Tamarind adds tartness, while jaggery syrup brings sweetness to round out the drink. Served in a rustic kullad, or earthen pot, the drink is finished with a flavour-blaster bubble.

Left impressed with the first sip, I went on to the second drink on the roster, Call Of The Gir. Equal parts smoky, sweet, and spicy, the drink channels the commanding Asiatic lion in a tequila-led sip featuring the richness of kesar mango, the warm spice of ginger syrup, the acidity of lemon, and a sharp kick from tabasco and jalapeño. The raw mango slice garnish finishes the drink on a swicy (sweet and spicy) note, reinforcing and reflecting its essence in a single slice.

One of my favourite drinks from the menu is Corbett After Dark, and if you like your drinks sweeter, this one’s for you too. It aims to encapsulate the quiet mystery of the forest at twilight, with gin providing a crisp base while peach and litchi add my preferred sweetness. The drink’s woodiness comes from the Berinag black tea, and the glass is finished with a rim of nettle leaf dust. A delicate yet layered sip.

Another drink you should definitely not miss, inspired by the Himalayas and the snow leopard, is called Silent Paws. Since it combines two spirits, tequila and gin, it is not for the weak-hearted. The coffee and coffee liqueur dominate the aromatic profile, bringing roasted, bittersweet notes to the cocktail. Orgeat syrup adds nuttiness, paired with a squeeze of lime. The crunch of the coffee beans, which act as garnish, adds the right texture to the drink.

Being from Rajasthan, my love for kachori knows no bounds, but that also means I am very picky and particular about the ones I like and return to. It was, however, the first time I had tried Lilva Kachori, a traditional Gujarati snack with a flaky crust and a sweet, spicy, tangy filling of fresh green pigeon peas. The one served at The Safari Lounge ticked all the boxes, with its crispy exterior and flavourful filling, and had me calling for multiple servings. The tamarind chutney rounded off the serving like a cherry on the cake.

I fancy fried food with my drinks, and the Jungle Masala Poppers Spicy Lotus Stems fit perfectly. Coated in gram flour batter, the dish was simple yet worked well for the evening dedicated to the wild. For meat-eaters and pescatarians, highlights include the Kerala-inspired Prawns Malgapodi (fried prawns tossed in in-house podi masala) and Pulled Laal Maas — Steam Bao Pita (classic Rajasthani laal maas prepared with chillies & spices & filled in tender baos), which landed straight from the desert state.