Thibault Mequignon, Head Bartender at Parisian Hotspot Danico, to Guest at Lighthaus Apr 25-26

Though Lighthaus has revved up German vibes for its patrons since opening last spring – thanks to its car themed cocktails, just like the menu items in all the venues of the Mercedes Me complex – the classy bar will shift gears this weekend. Famed French bartender Thibault Mequignon will bring some Parisian flair to the Sanlitun bar to help celebrate its one year anniversary, bringing with him a range of specialty, limited time cocktail recipes called the "Five Senses Experience" menu, that he'll be shaking up both this weekend and next.

Among those drinks will be the "Sight" made with gin, flowery French St. Germain liqueur, lime juice, Thai chili tincture, and egg whites; the "Smell" – featuring an aromatic mix of sugary Cachaca spirit, Campari Aperitif, infused cherry blossom, and lemon zest; the "Taste" – made with rum, lime juice, and pandan syrup; and other sensory themed cocktails. Accompanying eats will also be provided by Alan Hei – a founding member of Food & Wine China and the host of 50 Best Restaurants China – including a tartare called "Sense of Touch," soft shell crab tempura dubbed "Sense of Taste," and boiled beef rib with pineapple and essence of mint called "Sense of Smell."

As the head bartender at Danico, one of Paris' most chic cocktail bars, Mequignon has shaken up a strong reputation for himself in one of Europe's most competitive booze scenes. None other than the New York Times praised Mequignon and Danico owner Nico de Soto's use of padan syrups in their cocktails. The newspaper detailed how that exotic tropical herb, which is ubiquitous in Indonesian desserts, became a trendy drink ingredient across Paris' F&B scene after patrons acquired a taste for it at Danico.

Popular Parisian bar blog 52 Martinis, meanwhile, lauded Danico's menu for being "comprehensive in terms of offering something for every style/level of drinker while still encouraging exploration and some category crossover," before paying particular note to the bar's use of soy sauce, Japanese seaweed bitters, and other outside-the-box ingredients.

Mequignon's stint at Lighthaus looks to encompass those adventurous flavors that he's become acclaimed for and we're sure he'll have plenty of other surprises up his sleeve.

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Email: kylemullin@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @MulKyle

Photos: The organizers, New York Times