Niki R.
Yelp
Spent a couple of days at Drift Hotel and had to give their Dawn to Dusk concept a try. Great vibe, and even on a Monday sitting at the bar in the evening was so much fun to people watch. This is on the portion of State Street that's closed to cars. Such a great vibe. Love the concept -- it's Dawn from 8am-3pm, get here for coffee - ask for the orange cardamom oatmilk cappuccino, or be bold and try a Sprofashioned (yep, espresso with bitters instead of an old fashioned). But, that's a separate review.
Highly talented and knowledgeable bartenders.
Oaxacan Old Fashioned; mezcal, agave and bitters - a touch on the sweeter side, but absolutely delicious.
House margarita: so perfectly balanced, that it will take your breath away with its simplicity and complexity.
Picante Amante: (pink peppercorn tequila blanco, mezcal, prickly pear, lime, and habanero tincture with a pink peppercorn salt) - with just the perfect hint of smoke from the mezcal, the pink peppercorn salt adds a zing to the lips, the habanero adds flavor but not uncomfortable heat.
Into the Sky; kaffir lime tequila blanco, pistachio orgeat, blue curacao, lime and an instagrammable moment with the final touch of a cloud of smoke. Be warned, this is infinitely drinkable, but highly potent.
Quicos - roasted corn nuts flavored with seat salt and tajin lime. This beats out regular nuts any day it threw me back to my life in India where I would get corn from the street vendor roasting it on a little charcoal burner and then he would take half a lime dunked in his own mix of red chili, salt and pepper and smear it all over the piping hot blackened corn - so extra bonus to Dusk for eliciting a fond childhood memory for me!
They take their Baja roots seriously with their blue fin tuna tostada with chili adobo, lime and cilantro mayo over a house-made tostada, or their daily ceviche with cucumber, lime, chile and red onion. The tart from the lime, combined with the crunch of the cucumber and red onion makes a perfect foil to the fresh cooked-in-lime healthy chunks of fresh catch fish. For a departure from the traditional, the fresh catch of oysters are served with a Thai chili and fish sauce mignonette which offers up the right amount of tart, kick, and umami for a really fantastic mouth feel. They serve these up on a bed of house-made snow liberally sprinkled with chili flakes for a fun visual.