BY ANGELA PIDDUCK Wednesday, March 10 2010

ODEN NERO Jr will willingly shake together any blend of drink for diners at HAKKA Restaurant and Bar, which since February 1 has attracted large crowds, including Fatima Ccllege students who line up for take-away boxes at lunch time.

Nero, who has been bartending for about five years, and learned the hospitality industry from his mother, Sharmila Nero, says: “I used to do private jobs, like weddings and stuff like that, with her, so I just learned how to talk to people and how to deal with them.”

The HAKKA Bar and Restaurant Manager has made bartending his specialty and not only mixes, blends and shakes special concoctions but is good at “flairing and spinning bottles around my back”, and has trained his staff at HAKKA in not only mixing a good drink but serving it with a smile.

Says Nero about his signature cocktails: “When you have been bartending for so long we know which alcohol mixes well with others and liqueurs.”

He has noticed that diners no longer stick to the red wine with meat and white with fish rule. “People vary more to their personal tastes now. They are aware of different kinds of ingredients, the look and taste.”

One of Nero’s most deadly signature drinks is 2012 made with rum, vodka, gin, triple sec brandy, lime juice, strawberry liqueur and tequila, poured over ice in layers, each liquor one on top the other, starting in any order, and then garnished with lime and cherries.

Another favourite is The Black Hakkatini - one customer has come five times and drank glasses of this drink, made with codka, Dooley’s Toffee Liqueur, Mokatia, Amaretto, Butter Scotch Liqueur, Hershey’s Syrup and evaporated milk, shaken together and served straight up in a chilled Martini glass, and garnished with whipped cream. Needless to say a designated driver is absolutely necessary on such occasions.

Nero’s signature shots include the special Hakkatack Shot, mudslides, pina colada, rum punch, cirgin cocktails made with milk and Hakka Strawberry Slide, are just some of what is available. They also serve the best white sparkling wine in town, Voga Pinot Grigiot.