174. Taiwan Day 6: Fourplay to Start off the Night / Fourplay 的飲料讓眼睛睜大 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

After a fun filled afternoon of teaching Taiwanese school children how to play American games like Big Booty, Diana and I needed to cap our day off with a few drinks.  It's so tough to deal with little kids, you know? We met up with a group of friends from home at Fourplay, a cocktail lounge that serves up the most inventive and innovative of liquored beverages in Taipei. 

Lo and behold, the... heroin, just one in the series of drug inspired drinks that the lounge conjures up.  Fourplay doesn't actually have any menus, so it's tough to remember some of the names of the craft cocktails here.  This is the one that Diana and I remember as "the crazy drink," you know, "the one that looks like an Adios at the bottom," you know, "the one with the dry ice?" Oh yes, that one... the "syringe drink."  You might as well call this the zài jiàn wáng ba dàn (Adios Motherfucker roughly translated into Mandarin) because you will definitely be saying bye bye after polishing off all three syringes and the supposed Absinthe-based Adios concoction on the bottom of the glass.  Oh, did I mention... this is a cocktail made for an individual? A four part drink for one... that's the kind of foreplay that foreshadows our night in Taipei.  Overkill? For sure.

The expression on Art's face as he takes what Christine and Diana dub as the "rite of passage" for all our American friends in Taipei is priceless.  Art is not a particularly dramatic guy, so just imagine my face when the "syringe drink" was placed in front of us.  And Jordan's face.  And Valerie's face.  Like, whoa.  Then imagine my reaction when it was explained that this cocktail was meant to be taken in a continuous sequence... one syringe after the next and chasing it all with the turquoise colored liquid at the bottom. Well, that's one way to start off the night, isn't it?

Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

For some more experiences with Fourplay, see the post by Taipei543 here and the post by Sugared & Spiced here.

Fourplay
台北市大安區東豐街67號
No. 67, Dongfeng St.  Da An District, Taipei City

ML - 20130705

138. Tokyo - Fresh Fruit Cocktails at Library Lounge THESE (Tokyo: Minato-ku, Nishiazabu / 東京都: 港区, 西麻布)

After filling our stomachs with gigantic bowls of udon, Kristen led us down some dark Roppongi alleyways to discover this hidden library lounge called THESE tucked away amongst other bars, lounges, and restaurants that only the locals frequent.  Most of the guests are seated throughout the downstairs lounge area, but we were led up the side stairs to a lofty location where the lounge opens up with an outdoor patio.  The upstairs lounge has a more intimate feel with its cozy couches and soft lighting. 

Rather than bringing menus to the guests, the staff brings a basket of fresh seasonal fruit for its guests to select from.  From peaches to passion fruit, pears to pineapple, the bartender pairs the selected fruit with a liquor of choice.  Ken selected watermelon, which the bartender shook with vodka.  Kristen picked a peach, which was a prime selection for the Japanese summer.  The bartender paired the peach with Schnapps.  I went for the passion fruit, and the bartender sliced it up and infused it into some champagne. 

The plush seating makes for a very relaxed atmosphere, and the closed off lounge areas are suitable for intimate dates or even countless hours of catching up with old friends.  These Library Lounge was definitely a highlight during my time in Tokyo.  Many thanks to Kristen for donning the tour guide role that day.  We headed back to the hotel for a little shut eye because we planned to be back up in just a couple of hours to head to the world famous Tsukiji Market.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Library Lounge THESE
東京都 港区 / Tokyo Metropolis, Minato Ward
西麻布 2-15-12 / Mishiazabu District, 2 Chome 15-12
カルテットビル 1F / Quartet Building, 1st floor

ML - 20130627

Post 116: Portland - Whiskey, Beer, and Drinking Vinegar at Whiskey Soda Lounge (Portland: Southeast/Richmond/Clinton)

While we waited for the most authentic, non-authentic Thai food at Pok Pok, our hostess recommended that we go across the street to Whiskey Soda Lounge, a relaxing bar of sorts that is also part of the Pok Pok restaurant family.  Whiskey Soda Lounge offers a wide variety of beverages.  There are plenty of international beers, particular from Asia.  The menu also includes Taiwan Beer, which I was very surprised to see at a modern whiskey lounge in Oregon of all places.  There are also drinking vinegars, which is just what it sounds like... a diluted form of vinegar consumed for its supposed health benefits.

There are also whiskeys from around the world... from countries that are not typical whiskey producing countries such as America, Ireland, and Scotland.  I ordered the Khing & I.  It was made with Mekhong, known as a Thai whiskey, combined with lime and house made ginger syrup.  The ginger was not biting but was strong enough to inject a state of rejuvenation before dinner.  The lime cleansed my palate, and of course, the whiskey induced a euphoric sense of vacation.

We also tried the Lord Bergamot among other cocktails, but before we knew it, it was time to cross the street again back to Pok Pok for dinner.  I liked that the menu includes a message telling its guests to be careful crossing the street.  From what I observed, though, Portland drivers seem to stop for all pedestrians and slow down around cyclists.  It must be the clean air and water here.

Until our next meal, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120914

Post 88: By Invitation - The Edison Celebrates Herbie (LA: Downtown)

I recently received another invitation from The Edison to help celebrate the creation of the Happy Herbie, a cocktail made with Templeton rye whiskey in honor of Disney icon Herb Ryman.  The Edison pulled out all the stops for this celebration... there was a Model A parked outside the front door and a complimentary shoe shining station.  There were dancers on stage, dancers on the floor, and one in the air that twirled about using ropes and ribbons (and extreme core muscle strength) in a very Cirque du Soleil style.  It was quite the celebration.

The main attraction, however, was not any of the acrobats in the air or the props and services around the space.  It was the Happy Herbie.  A combination of Templeton rye, jasmine liquor, baked apple bitters, and lemon juice, the cocktail had a serene balance of whiskey taste and sweetness from the jasmine liquor and baked apple bitters.  John Maraffi, the Bar Manager at The Edison and creator of the Happy Herbie, paid us a visit, and we paid his some compliments.  We liked that there was still a hint of whiskey flavor in the drink without it being too strong.  We also liked that the lemon juice helped cut the sweetness just enough, but it was still just a tad sweet enough for some of the ladies to want a second round.  John let us in on some of his thoughts as he was creating this drink.  Not only was the cocktail named after him, it was also made using the liquor that is almost spelled out in his last name... how fitting.  It was a cocktail well done for a well known Disney icon.

We also tried some of the new food items on the menu, including the ginger chili Shanghai Wings and the yellowtail sashimi.  The wings weren't too bad, but we still love the items from the spring menu a little bit more.  Luckily for us such dishes as the Downtowner, Cabernet braised short ribs, and 50-50 fries all returned for the summer menu.  A new favorite was the Electric Squid, an urn of fresh calamari served with a trifecta of dipping sauces... cilantro honey lime, cocktail sauce, and a delicious aioli.  The calamari was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside without the least bit of chewiness.  Our absolute favorites are still The Elvis, The Merry Widow, and house made chocolate chip cookie.  Really, they are the best.  Hopefully everyone gets a chance to test out some of the sweets and the cocktail treats from The Edison soon.  Big thank yous go out to Arpi, Barbara and John for the gracious hospitality.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120829/20120711