The Champagne Bar at The Surf Club has introduced Reflections, a new collection of eight cocktails inspired by the iconic celebrations once held at the bar’s location, also home to Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club. Developed by The Champagne Bar team under the direction of Head Bartender Valentino Longo, the menu showcases today’s interpretations of these themed parties that celebrated different cultures and life that started back in 1930.
The history of The Surf Club can be traced through archive photos of dinner parties and galas that made The Surf Club the place to be in the winter social season. With a background in musical theatre, a love of show business, and limitless ambitions, Director Alfred I. Barton set the scene in The Surf Club’s fabled ballroom for some of the most talked-about parties of the 20th century, frequented by pioneers of the good life such as Elizabeth Taylor, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Frank Sinatra, Tennessee Williams, and Joan Crawford. Today, with interiors designed by Parisian interior architect Joseph Dirand, the space retains its soulful appeal, with the glamour of the early years still in the air.
“The vision behind Reflections is to relive the spark of what The Surf Club is historically known for — the years of parties, the happiness among people having fun and living in the moment,” says Longo. “The Surf Club created the perfect social scene back in the day, where the parties were always unique with elaborate styles and themes. Our new cocktails honour this legacy while interpreting each theme for today’s guest.”
Each Reflections cocktail pays homage to a distinct party in The Surf Club’s history:
- Carnival in Venice – Cocchi Rosa, Tio Pepe sherry, Champagne cordial, Passito di Pantelleria, bubbles, marinated grapes
- East Side West Side – Bombay Sapphire, tarragon cordial, hopped Italicus, soda, fennel blossoms
- España – Sherry blend, perfected apple, Grey Goose, Luxardo Bitter, apple tuile
- Derby Day – Woodford Reserve, beeswax, Derby vermouth, fig cognac, Manhattan-infused cherry
- The Dancing Hat – Clarified horchata, Centinela Blanco tequila, Diplomatico rum, pasilla coffee espuma
- Fiesta in Rio – Leblon cachaca, acidified pineapple, pinhão orgeat, açaí Campari
- The Surf Club Julep – Balvenie 14, peach mint cordial, Brancamenta, Champagne, peach shavings, raspberry dust
- Sorcerer’s Ball — A caffeinated mocktail with MeMento Green, Kin Euphorics spritz, honey, ginger, citrus coins
“The art is in the garnish and the feel of each cocktail,” adds Longo. “Fiesta in Rio for example – themed to the annual festival in Rio de Janeiro – uses authentic Brazilian ingredients, such as cachaca and Brazil nuts, paired with local produce from Miami. The cocktail allows you to experience what Fiesta in Rio would feel, look and taste like right here in Miami, through a thoughtful blend of local flavours rooted in the culture of the party’s theme.”
Reflections is now available at The Champagne Bar and can also be enjoyed at Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club, found just through the bar’s historic archways.
For more information or to book a table, head over to the official website.
