A toast to local flavors: Filipino fruits in craft cocktails
A drinks menu caught my attention last Dec. 2 during chef Miko Calo’s AVEC Series at Makati Shangri-La’s Sage Bar, which ran from Nov. 18 to Dec. 9. Local fruits appeared in unexpected combinations: kamias with tequila and elderflower, lanzones with vodka and muscat grapes, guyabano brightened with prosecco and rose. Each cocktail revealed a fresh perspective on Filipino ingredients.
Polish mixologist Arcadius Rybak created these drinks to complement the culinary collaborations between chef Miko Calo and her talented chef friends—Nicco Santos, Quenee Vilar, Aaron Isip, Josh Boutwood, and Margarita Forés. “When Miko asked me to be part of the pop-up at Shangri-La, I didn’t think twice,” says Rybak. “I wanted to express my creativity with local ingredients to the guests; matching Miko’s food was just fun and a pleasure.”
Rybak brings substantial experience to this exploration of Filipino flavors. After a decade in Hong Kong, where he was the bar development manager of Zuma and later served as APEC director of bars at Rosewood Hotel, he saw untapped potential in the Philippines. “I was watching the Philippine market during COVID. Many chefs now strongly promote Filipino food in the Philippines and overseas. You see the movement in the US, France, the UK, a bit of the Middle East, and slowly more concepts opening in Asia, even Australia.”
His approach to cocktail creation is methodical, informed by unique experiences. “I used to work with the French team of perfumes in France for one week, just to understand how one flavor can be blended,” he explains. “The smell gives you 70% of the taste in your mouth. Without the nose, we can’t taste many things.”
This scientific precision shapes his creative process. “First, I always draw the flavors. How they can look, how they can taste, using my imagination and colors. Then, I build the recipe and the drinks at the latest stage.” The results speak for themselves: Green mango finds harmony with gin and cypress soda; Baguio strawberries blend with lambanog and coconut cream; ube pairs with whiskey and pineapple.
His analysis of ingredients reveals a deep appreciation for their nuances. “Everyone knows mango as yellow, sweet and juicy—very tropical,” he notes. “But green mango is completely different—very sour, acidic, and refreshing. Not many people know that green mango can be so delicious.”
In 2025, Rybak will open his establishment in Makati—three projects under one roof: a bar restaurant showcasing Filipino ingredients, a bar academy for younger generations, and a micro-distillery producing spirits from local ingredients. “It will be 100% Filipino,” he emphasizes. “We’ll even have a small food component inspired by tusok-tusok, because I believe Filipino street food skewers have huge potential.”
The venture will include a laboratory for studying indigenous ingredients. “That’s the goal: to work with people passionate about Filipino ingredients, like farmers from different regions, to record that for the next generation,” Rybak points out. “The young generation now doesn’t pay much attention to these things, and that’s the scary part.”
“We often overlook what’s readily available,” he reflects. “Not everything from overseas is always the best. We have so many talents, history, and treasures that we should be proud of.”
When asked for advice on holiday entertaining in time for the New Year celebrations, Rybak keeps it simple. “Look around you—check your local market, use fruits in season. Take the classic margarita: Instead of lime, try kamias. You’re working with what’s available, and you’re creating something uniquely yours.” He emphasizes that good drinks, like good cooking, start with quality ingredients. “Get the best you can find, then have fun with it. The story of where your ingredients come from—that’s what makes a drink memorable.”
New Year's Cocktail Recipe: Kamias Margarita
By Arcadius Rybak
Ingredients:
- 40ml Tequila or Mezcal (depending on preference)
- 20-30ml fresh kamias juice (adjust according to sourness)
- 10-15ml sugar syrup
- Pinch of salt
Method:
Stir or shake ingredients together. Serve in a martini, coupe, or rocks glass, depending on what you have at home. Adjust proportions to taste, particularly the sugar syrup, based on the natural acidity of your kamias.
Follow @arcadics and @mcalo.next for updates on their upcoming projects.
