Fun colors, elegant uses of fruit, and drinks that are light and food friendly
Princess Peach at Fortunate Son
Kelly Davis
There seem to be a few themes running through cocktail menus as bars reopen: fun colors, elegant uses of fruit, and drinks that are light, accessible, and food friendly. Here are some that have caught our attention:
Gins made with actual violets started showing up on the cocktail scene before the pandemic. Empress 1908 Gin, the star of this cocktail, is often mistaken for a violet gin, but it’s actually distilled from butterfly pea blossoms. This delicate flower doesn’t add much flavor, but it does make for a fun cocktail experience, changing from pink to lavender to fuchsia depending on what it’s mixed with. Empress 1908’s flavor is on the citrusy side, making it ideal for The Presley’s eye-catching take on a classic sour (simple syrup, frothed egg white, fresh lime juice).
2855 Perry Road, Liberty Station
Baby, I Was Poured This Way at Cutwater Spirits
Courtesy of Cutwater Spirits
Speaking of butterfly pea, this colorful cocktail features a float of Cutwater’s acclaimed white rum infused with it, plus some edible shimmer
dust. Below that is a blend of white rum, a toasted macadamia syrup, coconut, blue curaçao, and lime. It’s a rich, tropical cocktail created to honor San Diego’s LGBTQ community. Through September 30, $1 from the sale of each cocktail, plus a $1 match by Cutwater, will go to The San Diego LGBT Community Center, which provides health care and other support services.
9750 Distribution Avenue, Miramar
It’s rare to see blueberries in a cocktail, but this strikingly pretty drink from Counterpoint demonstrates the berry’s worthiness. Here, a mellow, lightly sweet blueberry basil syrup is combined with vodka and fresh lemon juice for a perfectly balanced cocktail.
830 25th Street, Golden Hill
Fortunate Son itself doesn’t serve cocktails, but you can order off the menu from Polite Provisions next door. This tiki-esque drink (pineapple rum, raspberry, lime, peach bitters) pairs well with the restaurant’s American Chinese dishes, like orange chicken and pan-fried noodles. If you’re a fan of subbing in a cocktail for dessert, this daiquiri is a sweet end to a meal.
2943 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights
Lychee Chi-Chi at Misadventure Co. Distillery
Courtesy of Misadventure Co. Distillery
Misadventure Co. Distillery uses all manner of discarded baked goods that would otherwise go to the landfill to produce its cocktail-friendly vodka. (Don’t worry—the distillation process removes the gluten.) This fan favorite, made with Thai-basil-infused Misadventure Vodka, lychee, Thai coconut syrup, lime, and pineapple, hits all the right notes and is available at the distillery’s recently launched Thursday tiki nights.
2420 Grand Avenue, Vista
