Ring In The New Year With PABU Izakaya's New Yokai-Inspired Cocktails

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Within the Financial District lies PABU Izakaya, an authentic and ambient Japanese diner. Izakayas are a type of Japanese dining that consists of ordering an array of small dishes/plates and drinks. They tend to be a communal space for people to have fun and enjoy themselves, while being served prestigious foods and drinks.

When entering PABU, guests can expect to be presented with an elegant and inviting restaurant setting. The arrangement of the restaurant consists of a fairly modern aesthetic with numerous elements of traditional Japanese culture, highlighting its authenticity. Many can expect to be astonished by the beautiful Japanese art and decorations that surround the izakaya restaurant. The dim lighting of the restaurant also contributes to an atmosphere where guests can relax and unwind to the restaurant’s expansive menu.

See also: Stuart Morris Is PABU Izakaya's Premier Globally-Renowned Sake Master

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When eating at PABU Izakaya, you cannot go wrong when it comes to ordering from their vast menu of food and drinks. Some of the highlighted entrees from the restaurant include their Tokyo Fried Chicken ‘Karaage’, Hon Maguro Sashimi, and the Misoyaki Black Cod.

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In order to properly enjoy your meal, ordering from PABU’s new Yokai inspired cocktail drink menu is a must.

With each of the highlighted Yokai on the drink menu, there is a corresponding description of its lore and sentiment. Some of their standout drinks include the Tanuki, Kappa, and Kitsune.

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After drawing inspiration from The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore, head bartender Natalie Lichtman spent six months carefully crafting and personally conceptualizing the new menu. The new Yokai themed menu differs greatly from any of PABU’s previous themed bar menus. When viewing the menu, you can also expect to see magnificent caricatures for each of the featured Yokai; beautifully illustrated by Lichtman as well. When talking to the head bartender, she discusses the inspiration for some of the previously highlighted drinks.

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“For the Tanuki, I came up with this cocktail because I made a syrup from white and sparkling wine that went flat, and would have gone to waste. Since we are a big wine drinking city and state, I wanted to build this cocktail around the grape. The ingredients when layered together create a brown color as well, resembling the Tanuki Yokai.”

The Tanuki cocktail consists of kumquat, blanco tequila champagne syrup, imo shochu, malic acid, and frozen grapes. We suggest matching this drink with the savory taste of their Beef Tongue (Gyutan).

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“I knew the Kappa had to be on there because it is the most famous Yokai, I wanted to do it a serious honor. So I wanted to make it water-like, that’s why it’s a clear cocktail. I wanted to make it very-approachable and appealing. If you look at all of the ingredients, it’s the same as a French 75 cocktail, so you have your spirit base, a little bit of cucumber, sparkling sake, and on the top is a pickled melon with a leaf. A little bit of spicy, sour, and it looks like the actual head of the Kappa Yokai."

The Kappa cocktail contains cucumber vodka, sparkling sake, blends of vanilla acid, and empirical soka. This drink tends to pair well with the richness of their Misoyaki Black Cod.

Another must-have off of this new cocktail menu include the refreshing Kitsune drink, which is made with matcha strawberries, wasabi, clarified milk, belizean cacao rum, and cognac. The sweet and savory flavors of the cocktail go well with the crispy and tender Chicken Karaage.

Whichever mythological creature calls to you, you can’t go wrong with any of them!

To end off your meal at PABU, we recommend ordering their Milk Chocolate-Sesame Namelaka. This flavorful treat is composed of candied cocoa nibs, black sesame sponge, and red bean mousse. This item is a must have due to the delightful fusion of flavor. It also pairs well with their various assortments of sake.

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Pabu is open Monday through Saturday from 4 pm to 9 pm, you can make reservations on their website.

Kanpai!

See also: Where To Get The Best Authentic Mochi In San Francisco This Fall