Taste of love

Zong Zi Cha cocktail. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Valentine's Day, when the world celebrates romance, is always a sensory delight, Mike Peters reports.

Every year on Feb 14, happy couples can enjoy a dazzling array of pinks and reds, inhale the aromas of a quiet and romantic dinner, and savor nibbles and sips made elegant with loving care. Fine restaurants and hotels are primed for the occasion. China Daily takes you for a quick tour of some treats in store for couples looking for a little magic on a special night out. Your favorite spot for a romantic dinner date or drink probably has something special going, too－but don't delay making reservations.

Zong Zi Cha

Hakkasan, Shanghai

When British bar manager Matthew Hall started researching Chinese flavors and influences, Zong Zi Cha was one of the first drinks he created to integrate influences from seasonal dishes.

"The zongzi is a steamed sticky rice dumpling from the Dragon Boat Festival, typically packed with a variety of fillings including adzuki bean paste and red dates," he notes. "Typically when we design a drink we consider several elements: sour, sweet, spirit, bitter. So I tried to construct a drink that could combine these elements and carry them in a cocktail."

Hall's inspiration progressed into a drink as he combined elements of steam (aromatic rose infused dry ice vapor) and rice (sake). "Northern style zongzi tend to be sweet and dessert-like, so we included Marasca cherry and rose."

The base of the drink is Hendricks gin, he says, which is complex but marries well with floral and dark fruit. Also the alcohol strengthens the drink's character.

While there is actually no cha (tea) in the concoction, Hall says, "tea is a big part of dining culture so I placed certain elements in: Aromatic bitters and the tannic quality from the fresh cranberry juice add texture and depth."

Bund 18, 5/F, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. 021-6321-5888.