A decade ago, there used to be a clear demarcation between feasting at home and eating at a restaurant, with the latter embodying all the dining etiquettes of the West. Whether it is the replacing of royal tapestry with comfy sofas in playful colours, fun clay crockery substituting porcelain chinaware, or the rise of chef-led restaurants that is reflected in the cuisine-agnostic or experimental, and brief menus — unlike the ones that would have everything from chicken rara to an a la kiev — one thing is for sure. The F&B industry is embracing a casualness, including elements of the eating culture.

So, you have the concept of community tables and sharing plates, or in some places, the food itself portrays this attitude — regional flavours, hyperlocal ingredients, you know the lot. And among them, community cocktails i.e. large bowls of interesting concoctions meant for a group of friends is a latest development.