Photo by Stephanie Breijo
Forget heading to the Tosche Station to pick up power converters. Hit up Saison and grab the Tatooine Dreams cocktail this weekend.
Not a long time in the future, in a galaxy right here...
It is a period of thirst. Saison's bartenders, developing a limited-time-only cocktail menu, have won their first public testament to utter nerddom.
During this upcoming weekend, guests will manage to taste their way through the restaurant's ultimate offering, the STAR WARS COCKTAIL MENU, a list of roughly 10 beverages with enough alcohol to destroy an entire liver.
Pursued by the feel-good holiday spirit, beverage jedis James Kohler and Justin Ayotte station themselves behind the bar, custodians of the mixed drinks that can quench the thirst of the people and restore charity to the galaxy...
All of this is to say, of course, that Saison's beverage team is full of some nerdy, creative individuals, and that this weekend they're launching a Star Wars-themed cocktail menu to celebrate the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But wait, there's more: Not only does this cocktail menu coincide with the first live-action, feature-length Star Wars film in 10 years — it also runs hand-in-hand with a Toys for Tots drive at Saison and a portion of the Star Wars cocktails proceeds will be donated to FeedMore.
"It's so close to the holidays, so you know, it's fun to be able to do something like that, but why not try to get the people who are coming in for it to get in the giving spirit?" says James Kohler, Saison's beverage director.
Kohler, along with fellow Star Wars enthusiast and Saison bartender Justin Ayotte, worked for roughly one month to develop six new cocktails that would join the original trilogy of beverages that have appeared on the restaurant's cocktail menu throughout the years. You may remember those — with names like Death Star Flip, Kessel Run and Han Shot First, how could you forget? Just be sure to draw faster than Han; this menu is available only this Thursday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 20.
Expect cocktails like Tatooine Dreams, a rum-based tiki drink that's garnished with a slice of orange and a slice of lemon, replicating, of course, the two suns of Tatooine. Kessel Run is essentially a rum punch, spicy and full of fall flavor and Angostura bitters, to evoke the spice (drug) harvest on Kessel. The Death Star Flip is a deep, dark flip made with stout and rum. Mace Windu's Purple Lightsaber comes served in a long aviation glass, and The Dagobah Swamp is, unsurprisingly, pretty muddy looking, and it's made with Jager, passion fruit and ginger. You'll find all cocktails between $8 and $14.
"It was a huge part of my childhood [when I was] growing up. I was super, super, super into Star Wars and all the expanded universe stuff, and one of the first tattoos I got was the Death Star," Kohler says, adding, "It holds a very nerdy and dear place in my heart."
Looking for even more galactic fun? Also beginning on Thursday, Carytown Cupcakes will present six flavors such as the “Thai” Coffee Fighter, the Imperial Stout, and the Stormtrooper Sandie. Downtown restaurant Belle & James is currently running two Star Wars-themed cocktails, available now through the weekend: the Fear the Dark Side, with Ardberg 10, rye, black Sambuca, mole bitters and a coffee Death Star ice cube, and another, an homage to the light side, which will be released tonight.
Saison is located at 23 W. Marshall St.
And now for what is probably the best correction of my life: This post originally stated that Tatooine has two moons; it has two suns.
