Drink in Focus: Earl Grey Caviar Martini at Quinary
Quinary may have noticed that the bar's threshold now reads, 'The origin of Earl Grey Caviar Martini.' Pundits and professionals alike in Hong Kong can trace much of the city's modern and diverse bar scene to the cocktail, which according to co-owner and executive mixologist Antonio Lai, has been on the menu since day one.
The Quinary bar threshold in 2025. Photo: Handout
'When we first opened Quinary, our mission was to introduce what we term Multisensory Mixology – a concept that was uncommon in Hong Kong at the time,' he says. 'We anticipated it would be well received upon launch, but the fact that it remains a Quinary staple today? Not quite to that extent!' In practice, Lai refers to the now-ubiquitous use of laboratory equipment in modern kitchens, in turn used to craft cutting-edge cocktails – molecular mixology, as it were.
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Most are familiar with the cocktail's maximalist silhouette – a wide martini glass 'garnished' with Earl Grey reverse-spherified 'caviar' and a towering column of foam. Lai designed the drink specifically for its combination of spectacle, and the playful surprise of biting into the caviar – all focused on delicate and aromatic Earl Grey tea. 'When you experience all these elements together, they create a richly layered mouthfeel that makes you fall in love.'
The Earl Grey Martini cocktail at Quinary. Photo: Handout
What is perhaps more underrated about the drink is also how prescient it was of certain elements of Hong Kong mixology that are ubiquitous today – the use of advanced kitchen equipment and techniques, relatively
intensive batchwork and preparation, a focus on light and refreshing flavours, and
the then-rising importance of visual appeal for social media. All of this, meanwhile, centred around a good cocktail.
'When people visit a cocktail bar, they often hold a checklist in their mind,' Lai reasons, 'a drink that's unique, delicious, Instagram-worthy, and fun. And I guess our Earl Grey Caviar Martini just ticks all the boxes.'
Antonio Lai, Quinary's co-owner and executive mixologist. Photo: Handout
'The classic martini is a relatively strong cocktail, and I wanted to make it more approachable,' Lai explains. 'One way to achieve this is by adding some citrusy and fruity notes to temper the alcohol taste. I've experimented with multiple combinations, and it occurred to me that Earl Grey tea itself possesses pungent scents of lemon and bergamot.'
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The drink is batched daily to maintain freshness, and in three parts. The core cocktail comprises vodka, Cointreau, elderflower syrup, lemon and apple juices, and cucumber. The caviar is built separately in a bath of dissolved algin powder, whilst lecite powder is heavily used in preparing the Earl Grey foam base before it is whipped up during service.
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Over the last several months, visitors to Quinary may have noticed that the bar's threshold now reads, 'The origin of Earl Grey Caviar Martini.' Pundits and professionals alike in Hong Kong can trace much of the city's modern and diverse bar scene to the cocktail, which according to co-owner and executive mixologist Antonio Lai, has been on the menu since day one. The Quinary bar threshold in 2025. Photo: Handout 'When we first opened Quinary, our mission was to introduce what we term Multisensory Mixology – a concept that was uncommon in Hong Kong at the time,' he says. 'We anticipated it would be well received upon launch, but the fact that it remains a Quinary staple today? Not quite to that extent!' In practice, Lai refers to the now-ubiquitous use of laboratory equipment in modern kitchens, in turn used to craft cutting-edge cocktails – molecular mixology, as it were. Advertisement Most are familiar with the cocktail's maximalist silhouette – a wide martini glass 'garnished' with Earl Grey reverse-spherified 'caviar' and a towering column of foam. Lai designed the drink specifically for its combination of spectacle, and the playful surprise of biting into the caviar – all focused on delicate and aromatic Earl Grey tea. 'When you experience all these elements together, they create a richly layered mouthfeel that makes you fall in love.' The Earl Grey Martini cocktail at Quinary. Photo: Handout What is perhaps more underrated about the drink is also how prescient it was of certain elements of Hong Kong mixology that are ubiquitous today – the use of advanced kitchen equipment and techniques, relatively intensive batchwork and preparation, a focus on light and refreshing flavours, and the then-rising importance of visual appeal for social media. All of this, meanwhile, centred around a good cocktail. 'When people visit a cocktail bar, they often hold a checklist in their mind,' Lai reasons, 'a drink that's unique, delicious, Instagram-worthy, and fun. And I guess our Earl Grey Caviar Martini just ticks all the boxes.' Antonio Lai, Quinary's co-owner and executive mixologist. Photo: Handout 'The classic martini is a relatively strong cocktail, and I wanted to make it more approachable,' Lai explains. 'One way to achieve this is by adding some citrusy and fruity notes to temper the alcohol taste. I've experimented with multiple combinations, and it occurred to me that Earl Grey tea itself possesses pungent scents of lemon and bergamot.' Advertisement The drink is batched daily to maintain freshness, and in three parts. The core cocktail comprises vodka, Cointreau, elderflower syrup, lemon and apple juices, and cucumber. The caviar is built separately in a bath of dissolved algin powder, whilst lecite powder is heavily used in preparing the Earl Grey foam base before it is whipped up during service.
