In the bar at NAKAMA in Hamburg Dustin Heimsoth reigns.
With his cocktail creations such as “Lunch in Fukuoka”, “You, Me and a Cup Of Tea”, “Slo(e)w Sheep”, “The Lost Boys and Mario” and “Touch of Happiness” reading the drink menu is not only mouthwatering but also a lot of fun. And even though there’s lot to choose from, the cocktail menu is very curated, well organized and lovingly composed.
Before diving into a few of this masterpieces, maybe a word about Nakama’s food as well. The asian fusion kitchen produce delicious and fresh dishes that are perfect to pair with the cocktails (or if it’s the other way around). We tried both sushi, wakame salad and a couple of tofu dishes. All really delicious, and beautifully plated. But without further ado, lets look at the cocktails.
First serving was a LUNCH IN FUKUOKA and a MIRUKU PUNCH both presented in the most stunning way. The Lunch in Fukuoka is a gin driven cocktail which also contains lemon, mint and apple juice. The gin used is Japanese Roku which is very fitting with the restaurant’s theme. The cocktail is sour and bitter at the same time and very fresh. A perfect start to a dinner. The Miruku Punch is a smoked rum cocktail composed with pineapple, lemongrass, Jägermeister and lime apart from the rum. It’s served in this tall and beautiful ceramic mug.
Moving on to seconds we tried a DRAGON’S TAIL and a PURPLE EAST. The Japanese theme continues in the Dragon’s tail as it’s based around Chita whisky, complemented by plum wine and a kaki shrub contributing with some very exciting acidity in the cocktail. This was the perfect cocktail to accompany our main courses. The Purple East has fewer ingredients; gin, lila mais, lemon and pandan. It obviously has a very vibrant colour and was really delicious.
Last cocktail serving substituted desserts. ‘THE LOST BOYS’ AND MARIO and DINNER IN YOKOHAMA are both coffee and chocolate based cocktails so they mimic dessert in a brilliant way. First of all the glassware is dipped into rich and smooth chocolate. Apart from making the glasses delicious to nib on (do it discretely, you might look weird licking glassware) it also makes the drinks look really pretty, and almost a bit dramatic. Both of these cocktails was the perfect ending to this nice culinary evening in Hamburg.
Dustin has previously been tending the bar at 50 Cocktail Heroes in Berlin and Gibson Bar in London to name a few, so already beforehand you know you will be well looked after at Nakama. We adore thought-through cocktail menus like this one that Dustin composed for his new restaurant. If you ever find yourself in Hamburg, don’t miss out on gorgeous Nakama!