In the beginning, he still had to read the individual steps from the recipe, but now he has all the house cocktails down pat, says the bartender at “Oscar” restaurant as he places a martini glass on the counter. Because of its funnel shape, the glass is ideal for the cocktail, he says. "You can easily see the layers of the cocktail."

Aprile mixes the drink in the cocktail shaker, opens it up and pours a dark yellow content into the glass. Add a little egg white foam and the "Salty Caramel" is ready. A first sip from the glass straw immediately reveals why the drink is so popular with guests. If you are initially surprised by the deep caramel flavor, the sweetness dissolves into a fruity note, only to mix with the bitter taste of rum. Delicate foam then rounds out the taste. With its refreshing characteristics, the "Salty Caramel" is well suited as a summer cocktail for evening gatherings.

Restaurant owner Farshad Nakhshavani explains, "In our drinks menu, we made sure to offer only cocktails that also fit the Asian concept of the restaurant." Espresso Martini and Whiskey Sour, for example, are also popular with guests, he says. "We didn't want to offer creamy cocktails, instead we put more emphasis on bitter and fruity notes."

“Oscar” has been open at Moltkeplatz for three weeks now. Nakhshavani decided on the location because there was an existing market demand there and the location was ideal for a large outdoor restaurant. "It fits with the direction we are going," said the owner, who has been behind the bar with son Aprile since it opened.

Other restaurants are to follow in the spring: "At the beginning of next year, the fourth “Oscar” - with an Indian food concept - will be coming to the former “Eule” restaurant on Oststrasse, and there will be another restaurant in the former “Mercato” on Rüngsdorfer Strasse," says the restaurant entrepreneur. At Moltkeplatz, at any rate, demand was already "overwhelming" in the first few days. "I didn't actually expect this kind of customer traffic until six months later," Nakhshavani reports.

This makes it all the more important that things get up to speed and are running smoothly both in front of and behind the bar. "We coordinate a lot with each other. Everyone knows their area of responsibility," says Aprile. Despite his father being quite firm with him initially, their working relationship is now very good, he says. "In a short time, we have learned to work with each other and have a harmonious working rapport," Nakhshavani adds proudly. "My son is very driven and is not afraid of hard work."

In the summer of 2023, Aprile will complete his training in the restaurant industry. Meanwhile, the Godesberg native will rotate between his father's restaurants. Working behind the bar has been great fun for the high school student so far, and at some point he wants to follow in his father's footsteps, he says.

Orig. text: Niklas Schröder

Translation: ck