A Drink With Gireesh S. Chaudhury of Punjabi Indian Restaurant
Who would you most like to go out drinking with?
My dad, but he doesn’t drink, and I think it’s a good thing. So I would love to go with Shu Qi instead, because I’ve had a crush on her since I was quite a young lad.
How old were you when you started drinking?
When I was 17 years old, at Syracuse University. My roomie handed me a can of Guinness stout with a widget that pops inside so that the beer gets fizzy just when you open it. Freshness in a can!
What was your first taste of alcohol?
A shot of brandy as medicine to keep me warm when I was quite young and very cold visiting some mountain cabins with my family.
Tell us about the first time you were drunk.
It was Christmas Eve of 1999. Five of us were in the dorm room of a freshman girl named Kanika. I thought she was kind of cute and charming but didn’t know what to say. I used to be quite shy thanks to my boarding school upbringing. Anyways, this friend of mine, who was completely jealous of my awesomeness, challenged me to down a shot of Jack Daniels. So I ended up pounding the bottle!
What’s the dumbest thing you’ve done while drunk?
My dad will probably be reading this article (Hi Dad!), so I won’t say here. Plus there is a difference between dumbest and craziest.
Where’s the dumbest place you’ve gone drinking?
Let’s just say it involves unexpected international travel across the Canadian border at Niagara Falls.
You’re hosting a cocktail party – what are you making?
Punjabi’s new in-house cocktails: “Special Cinderella” and “Heartbreaker” are my special creations; they’re a mixture of about 5-6 liquors, are deadly strong and taste like drinking absolutely nothing. We try to limit them to two per guest. There was a woman who drank three of them, was totally fine, walked downstairs outside the restaurant, and fell flat on her face. Luckily, because it had been snowing, she didn’t get hurt.
What kind of drink are you?
Definitely not a champagne or beer. I would have to be a cocktail using single malt, tequila and Jägermeister with a dash of ginger ale. Smoky and strong, but relatively easy once you've acquired the taste.
Where’s your favorite place to go drinking?
I prefer commercial establishments to hutongs. So I’d take a high-end bar where the alcohol is real.
What’s your idea of a good night out?
A relaxed dinner at Punjabi or something amazing cooked up by Chef Luca Visani at Barolo. Then it could head in a different direction to Mokihi where K and Moto with their team make amazing and innovative cocktails and even really good hot chocolate (I have a terrible sweet tooth), then move to Elements where Mark has made sure that his team of Stanley and Agota know exactly what they are doing with excellent and friendly service and polite security. And sometimes I need crazy times with brothers Kefra and Ricky DJing at VICS.
Has your favorite drink changed over time?
At one time, it was Guinness, then I moved on to Smirnoff and Bacardi Limon, then tried all kinds of other stuff, and then I grew up. My favorite has been Silver Tequila, but recently I have been developing a keen smell for Islay single malts, Laphroaig Quarter Cask being awesome.
If you could only imbibe one drink for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Depends on mood, age, family situation, how much money could I afford – or want – to spend. For now, I would choose Don Julio Real. Patrón Gran Platinum is good too, but I prefer Don Julio. Or Punjabi’s masala tea.
What’s your golden rule of drinking?Quite simple. Don’t have too much creamy stuff, try to stay away from places which serve fake liquor, try to eat buttered toast, and in my case – always mix your liquors!
Punjabi celebrates its 6th anniversary on Apr 5. Bamiyan Afghan Lounge opens on Apr 8.
Photo courtesy of Gireesh S. Chaudhury
This article originally appeared on p54 in the March issue of the Beijinger.