In the pine forest, in Vytautas Jurgis Meška Park, the gastrobar of the four-star hotel “Esė” or the spacious terrace invites you to sit down and take a break, even for just an hour. While the weather is pleasantly warm outside, you can enjoy fresh air and exceptional flavors. Once tasted, people return here for the signature dishes of long-marinated, slow-smoked ribs. Or this season’s hit – duck breasts marinated in Japanese seaweed leaves konbu. A real surprise awaits fans of toasted bread – you won’t find such an interpretation of this popular Lithuanian snack anywhere else!
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But sometimes you just want a glass of something refreshing or sweet, unexpected, surprising, and of course, beautiful. Justinas Stonkus is always ready to fulfill dreams and compose a play of flavors in a glass. Having worked at “Esė” for two years, the beverage expert is pleased that the list of non-alcoholic cocktails here is quite extensive, and he can often offer visitors something special and seasonal. This summer, the cold beetroot soup cocktail attracted a lot of interest. Various combinations with matcha quickly became popular. People enjoy classics at any time of the year, such as the “Virgin Margarita”: this cocktail is made from freshly squeezed juices and herbal hydrolate.
Justinas is happy that he does not feel alone when creating new flavor combinations: the bar and kitchen teams collaborate warmly and collegially. When he started working here, he immediately found common ground with the kitchen chef Salvijus, who has been at “Esė” for five years. New unexpected combinations are born from their discussions and cooperation. “One comes up with an idea, the other suggests an ingredient suitable to realize that thought. I mix it right away, and we taste what came out,” the bar manager explains how the experiments take place. “We evaluate, discuss the taste, and if we think something is missing, we improve it further. And when we are satisfied with the result, we offer the new cocktail to the restaurant guests.”
“When creating this gastrobar’s menu, seasonality and sustainability are very important to us. We also want to utilize the uniqueness of the location where ‘Esė’ operates,” says Salvijus. “For example, I needed marinated cherries for one dish. However, in the kitchen, we used only the berries, and the syrup remained. That’s how the seasonal cocktail ‘Cherry’ was born.”
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“We want to be as close to nature as possible. When in season, we pick and process, for example, young pine shoots or elderflower blossoms ourselves. We use the delights of Lithuanian summer gardens: rhubarb, gooseberries, apples, cherries. These go both to plates and glasses,” Justinas adds to Salvijus. “We are constantly looking for a higher level, a different perspective on food, drinks, their combinations, and presentation. Creating and delighting gastrobar guests with our experiments, we both experience the joy of discovery.”
Coconut matcha sour
- 1.5 g ceremonial “Equa” matcha
- 40 ml hot water
- 30 ml coconut syrup
- 30 ml freshly squeezed green lemon juice
- 30 ml non-alcoholic tequila “Lyre’s Agave Blanco”
Justinas prepares tea from matcha powder and hot water. He pours it and all other ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Adds a few ice cubes. Shakes until the cocktail is well chilled.
Serves in a chilled glass.
Passion fruit matcha tonic
- 1.5 g ceremonial “Equa” matcha
- 40 ml water
- 30 ml passion fruit syrup
- 150 ml tonic
Prepares tea from matcha powder and hot water. Pours passion fruit syrup and tonic into a tall glass filled with ice. Mixes lightly. Finally, carefully pours the prepared matcha.
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Enjoy!
