1. Dandelyan takes a modern approach in the pursuit of new flavours through an understanding of the genetics of plants to create innovative, memorable cocktails and new experiences. Mr. Lyan and the Dandelyan team research how plants grow, reproduce and defend themselves, then extract these qualities – a ‘nose - to - tail’ approach to flora.
The Modern1 Life of Plants is the second volume2 in the Dandelyan story3
2. Welcome to Book 2. Here we explore the science and art at play in the human adaptation of plant and animal life, which pushes plants and plant life beyond their normal ‘natural’ biological terms. It is a realistic exploration into the future of food and the systems it governs. Here we discover the exciting extremes of food, and learn that big ain’t always bad!
3. Dandelyan is the oldest bar (now) in the Lyan family, from award-winning bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan, and is inspired by the great botanists, fruit hunters and bon vivants who brought back new tastes from foreign lands.
Go-
to G
reen
Min
t01
M
int i
s a
crop
that
is u
sed
acro
ss th
e w
orld
, a c
ruci
al m
ains
tay
of b
ars;
a g
o-to
gre
en n
ote,
a s
ense
of f
resh
ness
, the
cri
sp
brig
htne
ss o
f a M
ojito
. But
how
to ta
me
this
won
derf
ul w
eed?
R
ampa
nt a
nd v
erda
nt, i
t al
so c
ools
tong
ues
and
tem
pers
, no
t to
men
tion
its p
oten
cy in
inse
ctic
ides
. Yet
bey
ond
its li
tera
l fu
ncti
ons,
it re
mai
ns a
cru
cial
mod
ern
crop
in m
any
guis
es
from
sau
ces
to p
erfu
mes
.
Bacardi 8yo, Braemble, apple, Summerdown mint, ground ivy
Jim Beam Rye, gunpowder, herbal beurre blanc, paper fibre—Available without alcohol
Havana Club 7yo, Boece’s garden hooch, catnip honey
Grey Goose, Noilly Prat, companion cordial, pear, soda —Available without alcohol
Plants encourage industrialisation to maintain their survival and proliferate their offspring, yet fall prey to the whims of the world. Often, the fate of a crop can come down to the efforts of one person. Mr. Colman (yup, that guy) single –hand-edly saved a pre-war British variety of mint as a modern example – Black Mitchum, since you ask.
Money makes the world go round. And financial decisions certainly have a direct, as well as a knock-on, impact on our industries. The paper industry was no different, and the hemp conspiracy undoubtedly shaped the future of several crops for paper alternatives.
Catnip, and many domesticated relatives of the mint family, have been used as intoxicants, medicine, nutrition and vice. For different cultures, there has been different motivations. Boece in olde Scotland, the kitties of Ancient Egypt – and us here today – all know that a good dose of deliciousness and fun is a strong reason to continue planting.
What grows together, goes together. Did the chefs and bartenders of old create the classic recipes we love, or was it nature? Bioavailability, convenience and habit might have a part to play in our tastes, but nature likes plants to have friends in the field to lend the farmer a helping hand.
Brundall
Bastet
Goose & Gander
Paperclip Fix
Spicy, zesty fizz—
Day
Forest floor fresh—
Early evening pick-me-up
Herbal, green & clean—
Uplifting pick-me-up
Refreshing, clean—
Light all day aperitif
12.513
13.5 13
A m
any-
form
ber
ry
Gra
pe02
A b
erry
tha
t ta
kes
man
y fo
rms
and
prov
ides
man
y fla
vour
s ac
ross
the
glob
e. H
ighl
y re
vere
d, th
is h
umbl
e vi
ne is
resp
onsi
ble
for s
ome
of t
he m
ost
pres
tigi
ous
(rea
d ex
pens
ive)
land
in th
e w
orld
– a
nd o
ften
in a
reas
th
at a
re o
ther
wis
e qu
ite u
ndes
irab
le.
Johnnie Walker, peat, pineapple Madeira, ginseng & banana bitters
Maker’s Mark, Martini Riserva Ambrato, bitter strawberry old vine wine, lemon, honey
Courvoisier VSOP, Mother cordial, red vine leaf, Moscato
Ketel One Citroen, pink sour mix, flamed orange, almond—Available without alcohol
As vines proliferated in certain cultures and good living followed, foods and crops were studied to find sources of new medicines. The leaves of vines were found to be notably potent ‘blood tonics’, quickly sealing their fate and the opportunity to propagate was sealed.
Barren Old Fashioned
East Winds Fizz
Canon Cosmo
Standing Stones
Zesty, bittersweet sour—
Early evening pick-me-up
Rich comforting sipper—
Evening
Complex & bright —
Late afternoon/ pre-dinner aperitif
12.5 13.5
13.5Bittersweet aperitivo
—Pre-dinner
13
It is hard to develop complex agriculture (and therefore varied diets for our growing brains) when you are constantly on the move. Settlement allowed industrialisation, livestock and development of complex processing. Wine and cheese often co–evolved and their inter-development was marked by a move away from nomadic living (unfortunately there’s no foraged cheese and wine out there).
Fashions, canons and movements have a huge effect in dictating tastes. As TV became a growing influence its impact on agriculture started to become prevalent. Grape juice, vodka, the Cosmopolitan, all had huge moments in the limelight and managing crops to react to these demands. is no easy task.
Seeds in wine grapes are grand, however growers found consumers were annoyed by them in fruit. By cross-breeding to create uneven chromosomes, they created a ‘mule’ of a fruit that was infertile and therefore, had no seeds– a technique now used by many for a variety of world crops.
His
toric
al h
ops
Hop
s03
Mai
nly
note
d fo
r the
ir ro
le in
the
beer
s of
the
wor
ld a
nd, f
or
such
an
ubiq
uito
us p
rodu
ct, i
t is
str
ange
to s
ee h
ow t
heir
su
cces
s in
the
wor
ld h
as n
ot b
een
an e
asy
one.
Sub
ject
to u
ps
and
dow
ns, c
eleb
ratio
ns a
nd d
emon
isat
ion,
this
per
enni
al h
as
had
to o
utco
mpe
te m
any
indi
geno
us p
rete
nder
s to
cla
im it
s cr
own
and
etch
itse
lf in
to t
he a
nnal
s of
his
tory
.
Tapatio blanco, Talisker 10yo, Rhubarb Saison, lanolin, bitter and sweet herbs
Plymouth Gin, Compass Box Asyla, potato syrup, Lucky Kümmel, beta acid goodness
Mr Lyan Cream Gin, pearl barley, carrot-currant cordial—Available without alcohol
Porter’s Gin, apple oleo, Asterley Bros British Vermouth, celery, Chenin, soda
Hops farming in Britain–notably in Yorkshire– created an interdependence between several crops and livestock. This involved the crossing of materials, blending of skills and the use of by-products to ensure the best yields in difficult times. Over the years, this has evolved into the creation of local hotspots of excellence across the world.
Fortune favours the brave, and it will certainly take a dose of serendipity. In our modern, small world, pests spread easily. Many key crops aided by bees have been disrupted by modern factors (aforementioned pests, global warming, pesticides) but the beta acid from hops came to the rescue – saving the bees and the crops that benefit from them.
There has always been a push and pull between urban and rural environments. Hop picking became a popular escape in Britain and, as technology and the study of disease resistance changed the viability of the crop (and the manpower needed) the fashion around the crops changed– particularly around wartime. Jody Scheckter is a powerhouse in
modern industry and he applied this rigour to his closed-loop site – Laverstoke Park Farm – to show that biodynamic practices could provide balanced, nutritious and delicious produce at scale. The proof is in the pudding.
Nitrate Manhattan
Air Raid
Laverstoke Park Spritz
Lady Luck
Boozy bright sipper—
Into the night
Tiki rich & bright —
Party
Fruity, zesty and fresh —
Early evening pick me up
13 12.5
12.5Fresh & green
— Early evening brightener
13
Our
favo
urite
s
Cla
ssic
s04
Cho
ppin
g an
d ch
angi
ng fr
om o
ur p
revi
ous
men
us, a
nd
draw
ing
on a
spe
ctru
m o
f bot
anic
al d
elig
hts,
our
Cla
ssic
s m
enu
feat
ures
som
e of
our
– a
nd y
our –
favo
urite
drin
ks.
Tequila Cabeza, nixtamalized blue corn, sloe, ginger bitters, sour pineapple and soda
Dewar’s 12yo, lemon, koji and cream sugar, liquorice bitters
Bombay Sapphire, Dandelyan pollen vermouth, propolis, Ceylon Arrack, Campari and aged honey
Martell Cordon Bleu & VSOP, fermented Peychaud, Absinthe, concrete
Named after the site where the oldest silcrete hunting tools were found; the revolution sparked by its discovery –including how we maximise nutritional value, and reduce the potential of toxins in food processing – is put to good use here. More taste, less death!
Cereals can be manipulated to manifest in different ways beyond nutty or starchy flavours. The fruitiness of grains is brought to the fore using Koji, adding a lasting weight to this whisky sour.
Using a classic cocktail base of the iconic namesake, but adding in a crisp, stony edge. Our fermented bitters give a light sharpness as a welcome twist to the drink. Boozy, aromatic and complex.
Pinnacle Point Fizz
BC3 Negroni
Concrete Sazerac
Koji Hardshake
Rich, zesty, savoury, sweet—
Uplifting pick-me-up
Fresh, zesty hi-ball —
Uplifting pick-me-up/sundowner
Aromatic, boozy, rich—
Later evening/night
13 12.5
13.5Bittersweet boozy sipper
—All day, all night
13.5
Bees are history’s explorers. Traversing new landscapes to find ‘gold’ for their queen and simultaneously pollinating flowers to create the fruits and vegetables we depend on – all whilst creating all the magical ingredients we love.
Drin
ks M
apA
com
para
tive
guid
e to
tast
e (l
ight
vs
rich)
& s
ugge
sted
dr
inki
ng ti
mes
(day
time
to la
te e
veni
ng).
Rich
Day Night
Ligh
t
Koji Hardshake CLASSICS
Concrete Sazerac CLASSICS
East Winds Fizz GRAPE
Bastet MINT
Paperclip Fix MINT
Lady Luck HOPS
Canon Cosmo GRAPE
Air Raid HOPS
Laverstoke Park Spritz HOPS
Brundall MINT
Pinnacle Point Fizz CLASSICS
Nitrate Manhattan HOPS
Standing Stones GRAPE
BC3 Negroni CLASSICS
Goose & Gander MINT
Barren Old Fashioned GRAPE
0%
Allergy Information
For food allergies and intolerances, please speak to a member of our team about your requirements before ordering.
A full list of all allergens contained in each drink is available upon request. We craft our cocktails in house, and use a variety of ingredients to create the complexity of our serves which may mean certain ingredients are not listed.
Prices
All prices are in £ and inclusive of VAT at the current prevailing rate. Please note that a discretionary service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill.
Please ask if you would like a copy of our menu to take with you.
@ Dandelyanbar @ MrLyan # Dandelyan
Awards
World’s Best Bar Spirited Awards 2017 | Best Bar Team Timeout Bar Awards 2017, 2016 | World’s Best Cocktail Menu Spirited Awards 2016 | Best New International Bar Dandelyan, Spirited Awards 2015 | Sustainable Spirit Award Mr. Lyan, Spirited Awards 2016 | International Bartender of the Year Mr Lyan, Spirited Awards 2015 | Best Place to Drink Observer Food Monthly Awards 2015.