The Dram Attic

The latest buzz in Asia’s bar circuit, Cosmo Pony kicks off its South-East Asia tour with a reveal of their opening menu Rising City, spearheaded by Silvio Daniele.

One of the year’s most anticipated openings, Cosmo Pony is the result of a beautiful contrivance between two of Asia’s hospitality behemoths – The Jigger & Pony Group (Singapore) and Union Group (Jakarta).

Cosmo Pony, due to open doors in July 2024, is already creating waves and has piqued the interest of Asia’s fine drinking community. The group announced the appointment of Silvio Daniele as its General Manager ahead of its targeted opening in July. Silvio has transitioned into this role from his last role as Group Operations Manager at Jigger & Pony.

In the lead up to its opening, Cosmo Pony has released details of their inaugural menu titled RISING CITY, which draws inspiration from the wildly successful menuzines pioneered by Jigger & Pony. Heightening the excitement for RISING CITY are the accolades that The Cocktail Club and Jigger & Pony have garnered for their menus. The former took home the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 with “The Fine Guide to Good Drinking” while Jigger & Pony’s menu “IDENTITY” landed a top 10 spot in the World’s Best Menu category at the Spirited Awards.

JAKARTA: A RISING CITY

In the ideation and creation of the bar’s opening menu, Cosmo Pony’s General Manager Silvio Daniele was inspired by Italian artist Umberto Boccioni’s painting, “The City Rises” (1910) and his approach to Jakarta as someone living in the city for the first time.

“When I first arrived in Jakarta, it left me feeling similar emotions to when I look at Boccioni’s painting. Jakarta is huge, it’s busy, it’s crowded and growing – but once you step back and truly see the details, it’s easy to fall in love with the city,” shares Silvio. “Like the old residential buildings that house wholesome restaurants, the ugly fruit in the street market that turns out to be the most delicious of all, and the Jakartans’ natural inclination to respond to your smile with one of their own, there’s so much to be inspired by, around me here.”

Embracing the menu magazine format pioneered by Jigger & Pony, Silvio and Cosmo Pony introduce Jakarta, its vibrant culture, and captivating narratives to both locals and travellers alike, all against the backdrop of the city’s ever-evolving social and physical landscape. Highlighting key menu categories such as “Today,” “Tomorrow,” and “Tequila,” RISING CITY shines a spotlight on the agave spirit, a staple of bartending culture. Particularly appealing to Jakarta’s discerning drinkers, this section features Cosmo Pony’s exciting creation, the Tequila Cosmo.

The Tequila Cosmo puts a unique spin on the classic Cosmopolitan by swapping vodka for blanco tequila, blending it with Cointreau, lime, and roselle for a  twist. A final touch of smoked orange paint, featuring cacao butter, orange peel, lapsang souchong tea, and turmeric, pays homage to bartender Dale Degroff’s iconic flamed orange zest garnish from New York City’s Rainbow Room in the 1990s.

In the run up to its doors opening, Cosmo Pony kicks off their South-East Asia tour starting with a pop up at Penrose (Kuala Lumpur) as part of the inaugural Kuala Lumpur Cocktail Week on April 28th, followed by an appearance at Jigger & Pony (Singapore) on 8th May, and finally at 4th Wall (Bangkok) on 11th June. 

These shifts will give guests a preview of RISING CITY as well as a peek into the rapidly growing, and undoubtedly compelling bar culture of Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta. 

Follow Cosmo Pony on Instagram.

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