Perhaps this Valentine’s Day you’ll find your words of love in a novel… or maybe you’ll just sip and swoon to a cocktail inspired by them! Ashok Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group venues has more than a week’s worth of lusty libations to feature leading up to St. Valentine’s Day — all crafted after romantic reads listed on NPR’s Happily Ever After: 100 Swoon-Worthy Romances.
In tribute to the Regency romance novel by American author Loretta Chase, Bajaj’s Bombay Club features the Lord of Scoundrels, made with Cîroc vodka, Godiva chocolate liqueur, half and half, Chambord, and garnished with pink sugar. Published in 1995 by Avon Books, this is the third installment of Chase’s Débauchés series. Drink three of these and you’ll be wearing rose colored love-goggles.
The Indigo (at left), an artful blend of lemon juice, JMW Hibiscus liquor and Botanist gin garnished with an orchid leaf, makes its debut in a glass at Rasika. The cocktail celebrates Beverly Jenkins’ epic novel — and fits in with your holiday nomatter how you’re feeling — as its inspired by a story about passion, love, hope, fear, faith, deception and friends during one of the darkest times in American history.
Ravished, which is made with an assertive Bulldog London Dry gin, a delicate Amaro Tagliatella, and Rothman & Winter Pear liqueur with sage will appear at Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca. 
The Oval Room will feature a new Chocolate Kiss (right), created with Crème de Cacao, Truffle liqueur, cava with an orange twist. International bestselling author Laura Florand’s enchanting novel welcomes readers to La Maison des Sorcieres, where in their tiny blue kitchen, Magalie Chaudron and her two aunts stir wishes into bubbling pots of heavenly chocolat chaud. Dangerously delicious!
Guests at Ardeo+Bardeo will enjoy the new cocktail, Something About You, inspired byJulie James’ highly suspenseful novel involving politicians, sex, scandal and murder, all shaken and stirred perfectly for an exciting read. The featured libation is made with Bulleit bourbon, grapefruit juice, strawberry purée, honey lemon syrup and basil.
Sex Straight Up (left) finds its way on 701 Restaurant’s cocktail list. Named for Katherine O’Reilly’s steamy novel about sex, and scandal at family auction house, the cocktail is concocted with Leopold Brothers Peach Whiskey, orange juice, Cynar, grenadine and sparkling wine.
Rasika West End will introduce The India Fan, incorporating mezcal, Genepy des Alpes liqueur, Crème de Pampelmousse Rose liqueur, Campari, a dash of Scrappys Cardamom Bitters garnished with a flamed orange twist. Victor Holt’s novel centers around the inheritance of an extraordinary fan with a beautiful and fateful curse! It is a knock-out novel of mysticism and murder. The drink’s a knock-out, too.
Anna and the French Kiss, made with house-infused orange vodka, white creme de cacao garnished with a white chocolate kiss and orange zest, finds its way onto nopa Kitchen+Bar’s cocktail list. The cocktail is a nod to Stephanie Perkins novel about Anna’s adventures whisking her suddenly from Atlanta, Georgia to Paris, France for her senior year of college. Young love has the freshest of flavors.
These cocktails are available from February 8th – 14th. Join a “book club” and rally through this reading list.
