Want to try a drink from a world-renowned bartender? Now's your chance. Throughout the month of March, head to the Four Seasons Pudong to sip on a Regalo (108RMB, plus 15 percent service), a cocktail expertly crafted by Cedric Mendoza, Senior Bartender at the Regent Singapore's celebrated bar Manhattan, currently ranked at number 11 amongst World's 50 Best Bars.
In Spanish, 'regalo' means 'gift', and Mendoza's signature cocktail is his gift to bar guests: 'You come to the bar, you get a regalo.' It's a refreshing tipple that goes down easy – a chilled glass of rum, lemon juice, homemade Earl Grey tea syrup, beer, walnut bitters and an orange peel ribbon (because a regalo just isn't complete without a ribbon, he says).
One of Mendoza's favourite details of his cocktail is that it's versatile and flexible – anyone can try their own take on it. For instance, in each place he visits as a guest bartender, he uses the city's local beer and sometimes changes the type of tea used to make his infused syrup. Also, if walnut bitters aren't available, he says you can replace it with Angostura bitters (or better yet, make your own by muddling some walnuts and soaking them in Angostura for 12 hours).
All that in mind, you can try your hand at shaking up a Regalo at home with this recipe.
Cedric Mendoza's Regalo cocktail
45ml Bacardi 8
20ml Lemon juice
20ml Homemade Early Grey syrup
10ml Lager beer
4 dashes of walnut bitters
Orange peel
Combine, shake, strain and enjoy in a pre-chilled glass.
Mendoza's Regalo cocktail is available at Camelia, Four Seasons Pudong through the end of March.
More from Time Out Shanghai
The 10 best boutiques in Shanghai
Experience an exclusive culinary journey with Kitchen X