Cuban Style Mojito at Cana in San Francisco

Cana is a Cuban Parlor and Cafe located in the Mission District of San Francisco. I've been wanting to try Cana's outpost in San Francisco since going to the original in Oakland. They have such fun named cocktails on the menu such as Some Like it Hot, "...But Hemingway Ain't Cuban...", and John Coltrane walked in with La Mulata. Usually I would have ordered Some Like it Hot with tequila and serrano chile, but I haven't had a good Mojito in a while. Cana's Cuban style Mojito did not disappoint. Per their website, they "use of Real “Caña,” that is Crushing Our Own Sugar Cane to Produce Syrups".

Make sure you check the website when there is live entertainment. When I dined there, I had no idea they cleared the first floor to allow for salsa dancing and very loud live music. My dining companions and I ended up conversing via text messaging. I loved the food, the space and the drinks. But I enjoy good food with good drinks and good conversation.

The Drink - Mojito, Cuban Style, $13
Mint, lime, cana (simple syrup), splash of soda with Angostura Rum

The Place - Cana San Francisco
San Francisco, Dogpatch
Cuban restaurant
http://www.canasf.com/

Other Pictures from the visit

 Fried Chicken Sandwich

Salad...loved the plantains!

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Mucho Gusto at Tacolicious in San Francisco

Tacolicious has several locations in San Francisco and one in Palo Alto. With the different variations, it's my go to place for margaritas in the city. As you read for the Margarita Fresca, my lunch date and I were looking for a Vitamin D kick The Tacolicious Valencia Street location with the outside alley, is the perfect spot for a hit of sun. This cocktail is easy to drink, refreshing and hydrating (with the coconut water). I must say it was a pleasure to "meet" this drink.

The Drink - Mucho Gusto, $10 per glass or $32 per pitcher
Pueblo Viejo blanco, pineapple, coconut water, lime, agave

The Place - Tacolicious

San Francisco, Mission District
Mexican restaurant
Lunch and dinner 7 days a week

http://tacolicioussf.com/

Other Tacolicous drinks
Margarita de la Casa
Pasion
La Paloma at Mosto
Granizados
Margarita Fresca
Lolita Squeeze

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Margarita Fresca at Tacolicious in San Francisco

Tacolicious has several locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. I frequent the one on Valencia Street. My lunch date and I were in search for some sun in the city of San Francisco and knew we could head to the Mission District to find it on cold windy day. We were wandering around Valencia street, and decided to head to Tacolicious for a quick bite and margarita. The cute narrow outdoor alley at Tacolicous is a slice of sun heaven. It even protects you from the wind on a sunny but windy day. We arrived just in time. By the time our cocktails arrived, every outdoor seat was occupied (even on a weekday). This light and fresh margarita was a much needed coolant from the unrelenting rays of sunlight. We were seeking sun, and we found it!

The Drink - Margarita Fresca, $10 per glass, $32 per pitcher
Azul silver, strawberry, basil, agave, lime

The Place - Tacolicious

San Francisco, Mission District
Mexican restaurant
Lunch and dinner 7 days a week

http://tacolicioussf.com/

Other Tacolicous drinks
Margarita de la Casa
Pasion
La Paloma at Mosto
Granizados
Mucho Gusto
Lolita Squeeze

Other pictures from the visit

 Beet Salad

Taco of the Week, pork something

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Hopalong at Rich Table in San Francisco

Rich Table is located in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. It's become the place where my out of town friends and Bay Area friends want to meet for drinks and dinner. Luckily for me, the menu changes so that there is always a new drink or food item on the menu. On this particular day, we were celebrating a friend's birthday. As you can imagine, there were a few rounds of cocktails and red wine. I like to drink my dessert. So when the dessert menu arrived, I was torn which of three cocktails to order. I've already enjoyed the Rich Coffee (with Fernet). So it was down to the Hook Shot (vodka), Grasshopper and the Hopalong. With the rye and the absinthe, this delicious dessert cocktail had me  happlily hopping along to where the designated driver for the evening had parked the car.

The Drink - Hopalong, $10
Rye whiskey, root beer, absinthe, clove

The Place - Rich Table
San Francisco, Hayes Valley
Restaurant
Dinner Wednesday - Monday
www.richtablesf.com

Other Rich Table drinks
Big Night
Let's Go
Whack a Mole
Rich Coffee
Silk Road
Round Heel
Big Night: Act II

Other pictures from the visit

 Tofu and Farro (with the lowlight we didn't realize how pretty it was until I took a flash picture)

Ribeye Steak

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One Big Cosmo at MKT in the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco

MKT is located in the Four Seasons Hotel in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco. I was never a big fan of Cosmopolitans. After seeing the picture of this drink in Alcademics, I knew that I wanted to give the Cosmo a try. The cranberry ice ball definitely makes a statement when it arrives. Our server told us to have it sit a bit for more of a cranberry color and flavor. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't a sprinkle of lime zest on my cocktail like Alcademic's photo. But that's just about the looks. This One Big Cosmo is refreshing and ice cold.

The Drink - One Big Cosmo
Hangar 1 Straight & Lime, Qi White Tea, Cranberry Ice Ball

The Place - MKT
San Francisco, South of Market (SOMA)
Hotel restaurant/bar
Open daily
http://www.fourseasons.com/sanfrancisco/dining/mkt_restaurant_bar/

Other MKT drinks
Some Like it Hot

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Some Like it Hot at MKT in San Francisco

MKT is the new restaurant/bar located in the Four Seasons Hotel in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco. I was excited to try this place after seeing The Cosmopolitan cocktail in Alcademics. I am definitely not a Cosmo drinker. I'm more of a Some Like it Hot drinker. Tequila + spicy = my kind of cocktail.

The Drink - Some Like it Hot
Charbay Blanco, Melon, Jalapeno, Lemon, Lime, Half Pepper Rim

The Place - MKT
San Francisco, South of Market (SOMA)
Hotel restaurant/bar
Open daily
http://www.fourseasons.com/sanfrancisco/dining/mkt_restaurant_bar/

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Redford Manhattan at Redford in San Francisco

Redford is a new place bordering the Tenderloin and Nob Hill neighborhoods of San Francisco. I always try to grab a seat at the bar so that I can see what others are ordering and how the drinks are prepared. While I decided to stick with the Redford Lemonade, my research partner opted for the Redford Manhattan for the next round. I'm so glad they did. I just love the unique twist on a classic Manhattan with the addition of St. Germain and Fernet Branca. I can't wait to return to try some other drinks on the menu.

The Drink - Redford Manhattan, $11

Bulleit Bourbon, St. Germain, splash of Fernet Branca

The Place - Redford
San Francisco, Tenderloin/Nob Hill
Bar with a kitchen
Open daily 5pm-closing, happy hour
http://www.redfordsf.com/

Other Redford Drinks
Redford Lemonade

Making a drink at Redford

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Redford Lemonade at Redford in San Francisco

Redford is a new place bordering the Tenderloin and Nob Hill neighborhoods of San Francisco. I love the wood floors, the cozy wood bar and the exposed brick walls. Luckily when we walked in there were two free seats at the bar. I decided to start the evening with the signature Redford Lemonade. If you're like me, you'll opt for the bourbon based Redford Lemonade instead of the vodka as the base spirit. I can imagine sitting on a front porch sipping the Redford Lemonade all day and into the night.

FYI, their food is delicious too.

The Drink- Redford Lemonade, $11
Vodka or Bourbon, lemonade, ice

The Place - Redford
San Francisco, Tenderloin/Nob Hill
Bar with a kitchen
Open daily 5pm-closing, happy hour
http://www.redfordsf.com/

Other pictures from Redford

 Vegetarian Flatbread Pizza, $12

A taste of the Fried Chicken...it's finger lickin' good

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Port of Spain at Beretta in San Francisco

I recently read that orgeat was one of the trends in San Francisco cocktails. I definitely agree with that. More and more cocktail menus include at least one cocktail with orgeat. Frequent readers of the blog, should know that I love mezcal. So when I saw the Port of Spain with mezcal on Beretta's menu, I ordered it right away. The orgeat, a syrup made of almond, sugar and orange/rose water, was a bonus. Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...I just need some Caribbean tunes to complete the escape.

Luckily I found the Beretta recipe online on the Del Maguey website.

The Drink - Port of Spain, $11
Mezcal, lime, orgeat, bitters

Recipe per Del Maguey website by Dominic Alling of Beretta 
1 oz Small Hand Foods Orgeat
1.5 oz Del Maguey Vida Mezcal 
.75 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Angostura Bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a floating lime wheel.

The Place - Beretta
San Francisco, Mission
Restaurant, Italian
Daily dinner, weekend brunch
http://berettasf.com/

Other Beretta drinks
Nuestra Paloma
Single Village Fix 

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Big Night: Act II at Rich Table in San Francisco

Rich Table is located in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. I have to admit, in the last month, I've been there at least 3 times with 3 different friends. It seems to be the place people want to try. Each time I look forward to dining there. When the Big Night cocktail came off the season cocktail menu sometime during the winter, I remember being disappointed. But now it's back, bigger and on the rocks. I'd have to have both cocktails side by side to see if I like Act I or Act II better. I can't wait to see if there's an Act III. In the meantime, I'll enjoy this act while it's on the menu.

The Drink - Big Night: Act II, $11 
Mezcal, Nasturtium, Ginger Meringue, Seltzer

The Place - Rich Table
San Francisco, Hayes Valley
Restaurant
Dinner Wednesday - Monday
www.richtablesf.com

Other Rich Table drinks
Big Night
Let's Go
Whack a Mole
Rich Coffee
Silk Road
Round Heel
Hopalong

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Silk Road at Rich Table in San Francisco

Rich Table is located in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. The cardamom in the cocktail really intrigued me. However I was worried that this cocktail would be too sweet with the rum and honey. Wow, was I wrong! This cocktail is exotic and smooth as silk. I love the pop of spice, the foundation from the grapefruit and the fizz from the cava. Beware, this cocktail is easy on the eyes and easy on the palate. One too many of these and who know's what road you'll be travelling.

As part of my post drink research, I googled Silk Road. Now I wonder if this drink was named after the website Silk Road (the first Google search result) or for for the historic Silk Route for initially silk trading through Asia, Europe and Africa. Whichever the reason, this cocktail is an inviting welcome to Spring cocktail.

The Drink - Silk Road, $11
Dutch Rum, grapefruit, cardamom, honey, cava

The Place
San Francisco, Hayes Valley
Dinner Wednesday to Monday nights, full bar
http://richtablesf.com/

Other Rich Table drinks
Big Night
Let's Go
Whack a Mole
Rich Coffee
Round Heel
Big Night: Act II
Hopalong

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Roundheel at Rich Table in San Francisco

Rich Table is located in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. I had an event in the neighbhorhood and thought I may need a pre-event cocktail. I arrived at Rich Table at 5:25 on Saturday night and there was already a good number of people waiting outside to grab a seat at the bar. I do like when restaurants have a short list of cocktails available. It makes choosing a cocktail so much easier. And with Rich Table, there's always a few new cocktails on the list. Since I'd last been there, the Roundheel cocktail caught my eye. I thought with the elderflower it would accentuate the rum so that the cocktail would be too sweet. However, the grapefruit evens out any sweetness. What a well rounded cocktail!

The Drink - Roundheel
Rum, Elderflower, Grapefruit

The Place - Rich Table
San Francisco, Hayes Valley
Restaurant
Dinner Wednesday - Monday

Other Rich Table drinks
Big Night
Let's Go
Whack a Mole
Rich Coffee
Silk Road
Big Night: Act II
Hopalong

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The Writer's Muse at Prospect in San Francisco

Prospect is located in the South of Market neighborhood (SOMA) of San Francisco. My research partner and I dropped in for a quick drink before attending another event nearby. The Absinthe listed as the first ingredient for the Writer's Muse initially scared my research partner. She kept reading through the cocktail menu and kept going back to the Writer's Muse because of the St. Germain. I told her that I'm sure it's either just a spritz or a rinse of the glass. The bartender overheard us and confirmed that the absinthe was minimal. Wow, what a burst of flavor in such a petite glass! The stories and laughs this drink concocted are far to inappropriate to post. We'll leave it to your imagination. Thank you Prospect for this Writer's Muse.

The Drink - The Writer's Muse, $12
Vieux Pontarle Absinthe, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Sparkling Wine, Orange Bitters


The Drink - Mey'er Salty, Dog, $12 
El Jimador Blanco Tequila, meyer lemon, coriander, white pepper, salt

The Place - Prospect
San Francisco, South of Market (SOMA)
Restaurant, full bar, happy hour
Dinner daily, weekday happy hour, Sunday brunch
http://www.prospectsf.com/

Other Prospect drinks
Coconaut 

Mey'er Salty, Dog

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Mey'er Salty, Dog at Prospect in San Francisco

Prospect is located in the South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood of San Francisco. I haven't been to Prospect since both chef extraordinaire Ravi Kapur and the talented mixologist Brooke Arthur left. I was in the neighborhood and decided to drop in. I'm glad I did. I love this refreshing twist on a classic Salty Dog cocktail (gin and grapefruit juice with a salted rim) with the coriander rim. It's the coriander that hooked me in to order this. If I didn't have to attend another event, I would have ordered another one of these. But I thought it wise to save the other guests from my pirate imitation.

The Drink - Mey'er Salty, Dog, $12 
El Jimador Blanco Tequila, meyer lemon, coriander, white pepper, salt

The Place - Prospect
San Francisco, South of Market (SOMA)
Restaurant, full bar, happy hour
Dinner daily, weekday happy hour, Sunday brunch
http://www.prospectsf.com/

Other Prospect drinks
Coconaut

Other Pictures from the visit

Meatballs Al Forno

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Room with a Vieux at Alchemist in San Francisco

Alchemist is located 2 blocks from AT&T park in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco.  It's my new favorite pre-game and post-game hangout. I love Alchemist's twist on the classic Vieux Carre. With rye and tequila your view of the room you are in may get blurry when you have one too many of this drink.

The Drink - Room with a Vieux, $11
Rye, tequila, cocchi, nonino, Angosturra & orange bitters

The Place

San Francisco, South of Market (SOMA)
Bar Open Monday - Saturday
http://alchemistsf.com/
* It's on the 2nd floor of the building. With their street signage, it's hard to miss. They serve food from their downstairs neighbor, Root (a new Thai restaurant). 

Other Alchemist drinks

Stop Fenneling Me
Something with Vookah

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Barca Gintonic at Coqueta in San Francisco

Coqueta is Michael Chiarello's new restaurant located on Pier 5 in .  Coqueta means "flirt" in Spanish. What an appropriate name for his twist on Spanish cuisine. Each dish and drink definitely flirts with you with it's presentation. Often you wonder, how could I possibly eat/drink this work of art. You submit and eventually do. It's been some time since I've been impressed with every sip and bite at a restaurant. How do I know? Well, I go for a second sip or bite right after the first and then I say "Wow, this is amazing, I haven't tasted anything like this before".

The Barca Gintonic is on the Spanish Gin and Tonic section of the cocktail menu. It was the perfect drink to start a meal. I was surprised with the presentation of this cocktail. The cocktail arrived with the gin and the garnishes in the glass. The Fever Tree tonic was poured table side. Lastly the server gently shook the drink in a circular fashion on the table. What a great conversation starter.

The Drink - Barca Gintonic, $12
Bloom London Dry Gin, Fever Tree Tonic, grapefruit

The Place - Coqueta
San Francisco, Embarcadero
Spanish restaurant
Daily lunch and dinner
http://www.coquetasf.com/

Other pictures from the visit

 Tortilla Andres

Smoked salmon, honey, truffle oil, whipped manchego cheese

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