Flavour meets feeling at Sundays restobar in Chennai

Chennai’s Sundays Restobar’s new cocktail menu Navarasa offers premium cocktails inspired by human emotions, meticulously crafted with unique ingredients and glassware.

In books, films, and real life, drinking has always been intertwined with emotion: From a celebratory toast to drowning one’s sorrows.

Now, Navarasa — Sundays Restobar’s latest cocktail lineup is inspired by the nine human emotions.

For each drink, mixologist Karthik Kumar ensures that every element — base spirit, glassware, ingredients, style, texture, and flavour— encapsulates the emotion it represents.

“Take the cocktail Veera, for instance,” Karthik explains. “It’s made with Toki blended Japanese whisky, agave nectar, barberries, and Rampe or pandan leaf. Each ingredient stands for courage. Japanese whisky itself is a bold spirit; the founders of the Suntory Distillery in Japan took a brave step by blending three of its finest malts, competing in a world dominated by American and European whiskys. Similarly, agave thrives in harsh conditions, and cultivating it requires real courage.”

Veera is a tall, mildly sweet and sour pink cocktail with dominant notes from barberries, complemented by floral hints from hibiscus and pandan. Topped with mint bubbles and served with a crunchy marshmallow bite, this drink is as complex as the emotion it symbolises.

On the savoury side of the spectrum is Bibhatsa, a bold mix made with reposado tequila infused with red, yellow, and green peppers, Falernum syrup, blue salt, hot agave, and cold-pressed pineapple. The drink comes with a spicy rim and is garnished with a fermented, dehydrated black lemon and a bright red wafer. Although the wafer is edible, it is primarily a visual element that gets soggy in the drink.

For those seeking comfort, Karuna offers a twist on the classic espresso martini. Made with vodka, coffee, cold-pressed coconut, Bourbon vanilla, and latte crema, it is a rich and indulgent drink. To balance its bitterness, it is topped with an edible chocolate bark garnish.