Two Fingers, Canggu, is the latest installation from Bali’s newest hospitality guns that brought you ‘Nude cafe’, ‘Kembali Bumbak’, and ‘Front cafe’. Sitting right in the heart of the busy streets of Berowa, Canguu, this modern Mexican eatery is bursting with character and heavy on the Melbourne, New York & Mexico city vibes.
We were approached to construct a cocktail menu that lends its influences not just from the food, but the fit out, culture and of course the location. Bali is no stranger to Mexican food - with Hotel Mexicola being the obvious juggernaut on the Island. However the team at Two Fingers didn’t want to go down the same path. We decided on a direction that eliminated the volume based ethos of other restaurants and bars in the area, instead focusing on delicate flavours, difficult to acquire alcohol. (Bali is notoriously hard to source good liquors) and interesting combinations. We also decided that the place needed highly experienced and trained bar staff to keep quality and consistency the focus of the cocktail menu - so that was our first (daunting) Task.
After many ‘'research’’ trips to the best and up and coming cocktail bars on the Island, we eventually got lucky when we found a couple of guys with the experience and passion we were looking for. We got straight to work with the team about two weeks before the doors opened and began in the kitchen of one of the owners villas, frantically cooking up syrups, infusing tequilas, vodkas, whiskeys and rums, juicing every weird local fruit we could get our hands on, to the delight of his house mates!
We generally begin with around 30 recipes that we whittle down as time goes on, keeping what works and canning the rest. I had a recipe for a strawberry balsamic daiquiri that I wanted to make work so badly but it was one of the unlucky ones that didn’t make the cut, which happens about 15 times during the process. I always feel bad that I cant bring them to life or to the standard I had in my head, but thats how it goes.
After a couple of long days the menu started to come together in the way we hoped. Highlights for me were ‘The Narco’ - Cacao Infused Blanco Tequila, Kahlua and fresh Pineapple juice… The ‘Pink Lips’ - Jalepenõ infused tequila, Pomegranate Syrup, Whites and The “Dark and Stormy’ With our homemade Ginger Beer. As well as the variety of Espresso martinis on offer - 1800 coconut tequila cold drip coffee anyone?
The guys took a gamble paying Australian prices for the alcohol and keeping the drink prices local, but we all found that the customer can definitely taste the difference. With praise pouring over the bar and customers literally back 4 nights in a row (Island life, eh?) we felt the menu was a total success.
Looking forward to the next one lads!
T
https://www.theurbanlist.com/perth/a-list/two-fingers-canggu
http://twofingersbali.com/