Tequila sunrise
South Shore Tiki Lounge, Kihei
Not exactly a Halloween drink, I know, but at least the coloring is right. I had a run-in with one of these on a recent, ill-advised Sunday morning trip to the bar. The orange that characterizes the tequila sunrise possesses a glowing quality, which I believe to be due in part to grenadine. Or maybe magic. I must say I’m more of a Bloody Mary type when a Saturday night defies my concept of linear time by stretching straight on through to Sunday morning. But if you’re going to go super-sweet, why not add insult to injury with one of these?
Black Widow cosmo
Café Marc Aurel, Wailuku
Vodka—it kind of tastes like darkness, doesn’t it. Strangely enough, you have to add stuff to it to make it black. The folks at Café Marc Aurel have discovered a black-colored vodka called Blavod, which they use in the production of my very favorite cocktail, the cosmopolitan. Blavod is made in London and rendered black by way of a flavorless herbal extract. I will find out later this afternoon whether or not said drink will soothe a Taguma-induced rage.
Big Swell IPA
Maui Brewing Company, Lahaina
So this beer isn’t, say, blazing orange, but it’s not of the same golden hue as a lager. Plus, you can stick an orange slice on the edge of your glass and Bob’s your uncle. This India pale ale is loaded with subtle spicy undertones and is at once sweet and bitter. It’s one of my favorite beers. I’m a beer snob, which is why I am pretty stoked that Maui Brewing Company has reopened. We can now once again enjoy the fruits of Maui’s only local brewpub right at the source. Hazzah!
Black Russian
Anywhere
Would the Dude have settled for one of these if there was no half and half to complete his Caucasian? My guess is no. Furthermore I feel as though I have committed a civil wrong by mentioning this drink within 50 feet of the tequila sunrise. Still, as my father once said, the Black Russian is a good after-dinner drink if you let the ice melt a little, you sip it slowly, and you don’t look at it.
Mango Martini
Mala, Lahaina
Wow. A drink that marries two of my favorite things: mangoes and booze. It’s like watching The Big Lebowski while skydiving. It’s like listening to Pink Floyd’s “A Pillow of Winds” at sunset with a glass of champagne in one hand and a kitten in the other. You really can’t go wrong. Like the Black Russian, I would sip this one ever so slowly, but for a completely different reason. It utilizes Level One Vodka, Cointreau and mango puree. The puree is key here…not that mere mango juice would turn this drink into cough syrup or anything, but the fresher the better, especially when we’re talking about the illustrious mango. MTW
Comments
comments