Often I am invited to attend events that don't completely mesh into something I can write about for my current freelance columns, but which are great for gathering information, getting pitch ideas, increasing my knowledge, and making contacts. I'm going to do my best to write about them here instead. I figure that between those of you who read my blog, plus 800+ of you on Facebook and 1200+ of you on Twitter who see my blog posts via feeds, at least someone will be reading them!
Last week I went to a Leblon event held at the soon-to-be opened Lani Kai in SoHo. Lani Kai, Julie Reiner's newest project, is a tribute to a beach in Hawaii, with modern tropical decor and menus that reflect flavors of the region (More about all this from Julie in the not-too-distant future is in the works). The food, by chef Craig Rivard, was fantastic, starting with an ahi poke (something I haven't had since my trip to Hawaii a few years back), a pork bun slider with "Lani Kai secret sauce," a fried whole red snapper with a selection of dipping sauces, and steak served with bibb lettuce, bean sprouts, friend shallots, fried purple potatoes, hoisin, and ginger scallion sauce, made to be wrapped.
snapper!
The cocktails served that night were all made with Leblon cachaça. Many people don't know much about cachaça beyond the caipirinha — Brazil's national cocktail — but this spriit, distilled from sugar cane juice, and in Leblon's case, aged in XO cognac casks, has a delicate, somewhat floral flavor that plays well with others. Joe Swifka, who I first met when he worked at Elettaria (RIP), is running the bar at Lani Kai. Joe has a flair for tropical flavor and is one of the nicest guys around. I'm quite excited to see what he has in store there. He created a Leblon cocktail that was served with the ahi poke and will be listed on the opening menu.
The Tides
2 oz. Leblon cachaça
1 oz. Falernum
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
1/4 oz. cane syrup
2 dashes Peychaud bitters
Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice in a collins glass. Garnish with a lime and grapefruit twist.
Comments
8 responses
That’s pretty cool and all but I’m still pissed off at Leblon for dissing New York for Miami. And I’m just not going to drink his cocktails.
That’s pretty cool and all but I’m still pissed off at Leblon for dissing New York for Miami. And I’m just not going to drink his cocktails.
That looks good. All of it! Especially since the cocktail’s assembly instructions, er, recipe, seem simple enough… but balanced and nuanced nevertheless.
That looks good. All of it! Especially since the cocktail’s assembly instructions, er, recipe, seem simple enough… but balanced and nuanced nevertheless.
What are the little fried things that look like wheels? I had some the other night in a veggie tempura basket and haven’t ever seen it before.
What are the little fried things that look like wheels? I had some the other night in a veggie tempura basket and haven’t ever seen it before.
They’re taro chips. Tasty.
They’re taro chips. Tasty.