Wednesday
Mar252009
Shirley Temple Grows Up
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 01:57PM
Ready to think outside the juice box? Then check out the latest trend to hit the dining scene: expanded nonalcoholic beverage menus.
Last Friday, the Grahams enjoyed an exotic drink tasting at RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen, a relatively new establishment at the Westfield shopping center in Century City, and it made for a fun night out.
We sampled several, and the kids enjoyed the savory and sweet offerings of such exotic fruits and flavorings as tamarind, kaffir lime and lemon grass. Our hands-down favorite was the Pacific Kiss, which brought together a hibiscus tea with guava and calamansi, a citrus fruit that grows in the Phillipines and other locales. Additing a tangy opener atop the rim was a dusting of dried kaffir lime leaves that had been blended with sugar. It was robust and flavorful without leaving you with a sugary headache.
Popular among the grownups, according General Manager Erik Russell, is the Lime-Mint Squash, which has the essence of the classic mojito. It was a bubbly adult-friendly concoction that went well with the restaurant's chicken satay appetizer.
The kids also really liked the heavier lassi beverages, which are a sweet variation of the more savory traditional Indian smoothie. The Passion Fruit Lassi had a ginger spike that made me keep going back for more. Jack and Kate favored the Sweet Banana Vanilla Lassi, which probably marked the first time the two of them have ever tasted cardamom (especially in a drink).
Executive Chef Mohan Ismail created the bevvy of beverages to introduce exotic flavors to a broad range of palettes – and to complement his Asian- and Pacific Rim-infused menu. The room is definitely Asian-inspired, and we enjoyed lingering among the little glass-tank firepits in the grand entryway. The restaurant is owned by the massively successful Cheesecake Factory folks, but Russell was clear to point out that RockSugar is on a more exotic, gourmet path – although the beverage menu and openness of the room make it clear that it's still a good spot for families to enjoy a night out.
Alas, Jack was too fidgety to consider extending our stay through dinner, so we'll definitely have to make plans to come back – maybe so Steve and I can sample the exotic alcoholic drinks.
Last Friday, the Grahams enjoyed an exotic drink tasting at RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen, a relatively new establishment at the Westfield shopping center in Century City, and it made for a fun night out.
We sampled several, and the kids enjoyed the savory and sweet offerings of such exotic fruits and flavorings as tamarind, kaffir lime and lemon grass. Our hands-down favorite was the Pacific Kiss, which brought together a hibiscus tea with guava and calamansi, a citrus fruit that grows in the Phillipines and other locales. Additing a tangy opener atop the rim was a dusting of dried kaffir lime leaves that had been blended with sugar. It was robust and flavorful without leaving you with a sugary headache.
Popular among the grownups, according General Manager Erik Russell, is the Lime-Mint Squash, which has the essence of the classic mojito. It was a bubbly adult-friendly concoction that went well with the restaurant's chicken satay appetizer.
The kids also really liked the heavier lassi beverages, which are a sweet variation of the more savory traditional Indian smoothie. The Passion Fruit Lassi had a ginger spike that made me keep going back for more. Jack and Kate favored the Sweet Banana Vanilla Lassi, which probably marked the first time the two of them have ever tasted cardamom (especially in a drink).
Executive Chef Mohan Ismail created the bevvy of beverages to introduce exotic flavors to a broad range of palettes – and to complement his Asian- and Pacific Rim-infused menu. The room is definitely Asian-inspired, and we enjoyed lingering among the little glass-tank firepits in the grand entryway. The restaurant is owned by the massively successful Cheesecake Factory folks, but Russell was clear to point out that RockSugar is on a more exotic, gourmet path – although the beverage menu and openness of the room make it clear that it's still a good spot for families to enjoy a night out.
Alas, Jack was too fidgety to consider extending our stay through dinner, so we'll definitely have to make plans to come back – maybe so Steve and I can sample the exotic alcoholic drinks.
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