Dusit Thani goes dry with impeccable flair thanks to NOLO, says Ipshita Sharma!
Where do you go when you are with a group of multicultural colleagues or friends and some of them don’t drink, you don’t want to offend anyone but you still want to have fun? Head to NOLO! Dusit Thani went dry earlier this year and now have come up with Dubai’s first dry bar.
NOLO comes from No alcohol and LOW worries and has partnered up with the Australian no-alcohol beverage company Lyre’s. NOLO offers a range of beverages from wines and spirits to cocktails that will appease everyone without any guilt.
While usual no-alcohol drinks are high on sugars etc, Lyre’s are famously low cal and low fat and have a rich of quinine in them for that lovely bitter umaminess.
We start off the ride with their very own Thai basil smash, which has Lyre’s gin mixed with basil and lemongrass. Completely yum and refreshing, this is definitely much better than what we were expecting. This is then followed by a date spice espresso martini that is even better than advertised. Both have a delicate local touch that’s just a delight.
Then comes the highlight, a Smoky Old Fashioned that is a treat to watch being made as it is smoked with maple wood. The fantastic bartenders make a production of the display which adds to the experience.
Then we’re served with the amore that’s made with strawberry, garnished with white chocolate with Lyre’s sugarcane rum. Each drink is better than the last with the Smoky Old Fashioned being the best of the lot.
For those who are interested in some noms, the bar food is of the highest quality, which is not surprising considering Dusit Thani is involved. We try the cauliflower popcorn, chicken bao, tuna and avocado maki and stir-fry mushroom. The food is incredible. Period.
To add a cherry on top, we were served an cocktail based on the Indian drink called Kala Khatta which is totally lost in translation in English. This is the perfect way to end an incredible evening. We end the night not having missed alcohol and having had a great night out.
Good: Head to NOLO for a guiltfree and fun night out!
Bad: The spirits are not strong and tasty enough to drink straight or on the rocks.
Trendy: The drinks are all non-alcoholic but taste great!
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