Mezcal Paloma, Nopalito

Nopalito in the Western Addition neighborhood of San Francisco serves traditional homestyle Mexican cuisine. The Mezcal Paloma is a twist on the tequila based Paloma cocktail. As described in the menu de cokteles, the Mezcal Paloma is served tall, smoky and is honest. With el Maguey Vida, grapefruit, soda and Cynar (an artichoke based bitter), the Mezcal Paloma is all  about the smoky mezcal and the grapefruit. What you read in the menu is what you get! Honesty at it's best!

The Skinny

Lunch and dinner 7 days a week, full bar

http://www.nopalitosf.com/

Mezcal Paloma, $9

Other pictures from the visit.  Once again, my dining companions got to the food before I was able to take a picture.

Fried chickpeas

 Mexican Coffee

Almond Cookies

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Tea Thyme, BarbersQ

It was time for tea on a chilly Sunday afternoon in Napa, so I chose the Tea Thyme cocktail at BarbersQ.  I was worried this cocktail would be too sweet with Charbray green tea vodka, honey, thyme, and lemon juice. But there was enough lemon in the drink to mellow the sweetness of the honey.



The Skinny

http://www.barbersq.com/

Tea Thyme, $11.50

BarbersQ is located in a strip mall next to a Target store off of Highway 29.  It's an unlikely place to find such good food and drink.

Other pics from this visit:

 Side of Mac and Cheese

 Grilled Cheese

Steak Frites

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Big Dipper, Straw

Straw, located in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, serves carnival themed food and drink. Just like many items on the menu, the Big Dipper cocktail, is an adult version of one of your childhood favorites. With sabe vodka infused sake, lemonade, strawberry compote, basil and a fun dip rim, the Big Dipper transforms from the little kid strawberry lemonade favorite to a big kid beverage.

When I return, I look forward to taking better pictures of the cotton candy cocktail made table side and to try Da Fish in Da Sea (served for 4). At Straw, you can relive your childhood!

The Skinny
Dinner 7 days a week, beer and wine
http://strawsf.com/
Big Dipper, $8

Other pictures from the carnival dinner:

The menu was inside this book

 the contortionist (pretzel bites)

 Great Expectations (corn dogs)

 Easy Cheese Revisted (potato chip nachos)

 Fried Chicken n Waffles Monte Christo

 Mac Attack

The Ringmaster (Hamburger with a glazed donut bun)

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Mexican Velvet, Hotsy Totsy Club

I've been wanting to try cocktails across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco and was fortunate to find Hotsy Totsy Club in Albany.  The Mexican Velvet is a smooth concoction of cazadores reposado, chichipac mezcal, velvet falernum, lime juice and pineapple gomme.  The spice from the falernum, the smokiness from the mezcal, the punch from the tequila and the sweet from the pineapple gomme combine to knock out your senses where you are nearly speechless and can only say "Wow, that is really good!". 

If I hadn't read about the place before I walked in, I would not have imagined the cocktails would be so good.  With a pool table, shuffleboard, free wifi and a movie, there's lots to do to sip the night away.

The Skinny

Food available from Taco truck in the parking lot
http://www.hotsytotsyclub.com/
Mexican Velvet, $9

Other pictures from the visit:

 Shuffleboard

 Shuffleboard

El Verdad Amaro

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Sansho Stiles, Skool

The Sansho Stiles at Skool in San Francisco's Design District is an aromatic herbaceous modern cocktail. The tequila, La Peche liqueur, yuzu juice, cilantro, sansho pepper and spiced rim combine to knock your socks off. The server recommended that I don't use the straw.  The sugar spiced rim makes the drink even better. Created by the bar manager, Linda Stiles, this mexican japanese cocktail defines the new cocktail fusion revolution.

The Skinny
Lunch and Dinner 7 days a week, weekend brunch, full bar, happy hour (aka detention hall)

www.skoolsf.com

Sansho Stiles, $10

Other Skool drinks

The International
Haole's Downfall
Empress Elizabeth
Summer Mary
Noche Martini 
La Fresa
Imperial Caipirinha

G Rated (non-alcoholic)

Birds of a Feather
Smokey and the Bandito

Other pics from this visit:

Noche Martini

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Pasion, Tacolicious

The Pasion at Tacolicious hands down is my favorite drink in the city of San Francisco. The combination of the habanero, traditional silver tequila, the lime and the passion fruit deliver the one-two punch to claim the title. If you like drinks with a hint of sweet and a lot of heat, you'll enjoy this drink.

Tacolicious currently has 2 locations in San Francisco in the Marina and Mission neighborhoods. Both are fun!

The Place - Tacolicious
San Francisco, Mission District
Mexican Restaurant
Lunch, Dinner, 7 nights a week, full bar
http://tacolicioussf.com/
Pasion, $9.50/glass or $30/pitcher

Other Tacolicous drinks

Margarita de la Casa

Pasion

La Paloma at Mosto
Granizados

Margarita Fresca
Lolita Squeeze
Mucho Gusto

Other pictures from this visit

 Margarita de la casa, $9.50/glass, $28/pitcher

Corona (32oz), $9

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A Lover's Game, Ice Cream Bar

The Ice Cream Bar in Cole Valley in San Francisco takes you back to the good old soda fountain days. I chose a drink from the Crush part of the menu (fruit based sodas). A Lover's Game crush has muddled raspberries, house chocolate syrup, soda and love. The soda jerk recommended that I drink my crush straight, without the straw since it changes the flavor profile of the drink. Loved every sip which gets sweeter, more chocolatey and richer as you drink. I can't wait to try other drinks on the menu and for the The Ice Cream Bar to get their liquor license!

Restaurant Specifics 
7 Days a week

http://theicecreambarsf.com/
A Lover's Game, $8

Skip the line in front for the ice cream and head to the back to order your drink from the soda jerk working at the soda fountain.

Other Ice Cream Bar drinks
Valentina (non-alcoholic)

Other pictures from the visit

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