New menus from restaurants and bars are a dime a dozen, but Atlas take it up a notch with its new Drinking Menu, La Grande Nation, that offers a unique multi-sensory experience.
Already a sight to behold, the award-winning bar is a homage to the grand Art Deco lobbies of Europe with a sprawling interior, towering ceiling and a 15 metre-tall gin tower. So it is only befitting that the new menu explores this decadent and glamorous period of the 1920s.
It takes guests on a fictionalised journey alongside Cecil Beaumont, the chief correspondent for American design and literary magazine, The Montrose. On assignment to Paris, Beaumont is tasked with exploring and uncovering the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the seminal event after which the Art Deco movement was eventually named.
During his time in Paris, Beaumont meets four prominent figures of the Art Deco movement, with each encounter forming the backbone of an individual chapter of La Grande Nation.
Drink, and be inspired
Guests can discover the story as they sip the new cocktails, jointly created by head bartender Jesse Vida and his team. The menu pages, which were also ideated and designed by the in-house Atlas team, feature fabulous visuals such as maps, postcards, artwork and brochures.
Drinks are presented across four chapters, beginning with light refreshing flavours before progressing into richer ones. In chapter one, sip on the revitalising Vendome Spritz infused with Japanese gin, dry vermouth, grapefruit and rosemary tonic as Beaumont meets master glassmaker Rene Jules Lalique.
Vendome Spritz, Pearl Revival and The Musician
Chapter two introduces jeweller Suzanne Belperron, which makes Pearl Revival (a creation of Atlas bartender Gary Kang) the perfect accompaniment. A reference to Suzanne’s famous pearl jewellery, the fruit and savoury tipple is made with English gin, spiced pear and calvados for a lively crisp flavour.
In chapter three, Beaumont meets A.M. Cassandre, the legendary poster designer. A.M.’s Alliance, a tomato-infused mezcal cocktail that delivers a spicy, smoky kick, is named after Cassandre’s advertising agency, Alliance Graphic.
The last chapter has Beaumont meeting artist Tamara de Lempicka at the jazz club. Try The Musician, a celebration of the swinging 1920s, where the blend of cognac, coconut cream, mint and cacao ends your journey on a high.
Well, actually you don’t have to stop there. You can continue your Art Deco adventure with the non-alcoholic drinks, as well as the extensive Gin & Tonic selection and Atlas classics such as the Atlas Martini and Atlas Gimlet. The Altas Vintage menu features drinks made with gins dating as far back as 1910, so you can revel in the glamour, sophistication and discernment of a time gone by.
More information available here.
