'Cmon TC, we're waiting for your reviews. I've seen lots of photos and comments on Facebook, but nothing here yet. Unfortunately, I'm not able to make it up to New Orleans anytime soon, so I'm hoping to enjoy Latitude 29 vicariously, and perhaps whip up a few drinks at home. The full menu, both food and drink, is posted on the homepage:
http://latitude29nola.com
There was a lot of speculation on what drinks would make the final cut. It's interesting that there are so few classics from the books, but I think that speaks to the level of talent Jeff has working for him. It looks like lots of reinterpretations and twists on what you might expect, which is great.
Here's the menu text ...
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry has spent the last two decades unearthing and publishing these “lost” exotic drinks, the best of which you’ll find on this menu, along with some originals and new interpretations of old classics.
We also offer an extensive menu of standard cocktails, highballs, and straight pours.
SHORT HOISTS
PROFESSOR REMSBERG’S PUNCH
Fine old Guadeloupe rum, gently stirred with lime and a Caribbean spiced syrup discovered over 30 years ago in San Juan by the Professor himself $12
PANIOLO
Yee-haw and aloha: Kentucky bourbon and Hawaiian macadamia nut liqueur shaken with lime, our own cranberry syrup and a dash of molé bitters $10
OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS
London Gin and Persian lime, caressed with cinnamon, ginger, almond and anise $12
OLD-FASHIONED RUM COCKTAIL
For those who take their kill-devil without fuss: A lot of rum and a little sugar, dashed with Abbott’s and Tiki bitters $10
LONG PULLS
LATITUDE 29
Eight-year Demerara rum, passion fruit purée, our own Madagascar vanilla syrup, orange, pineapple and lemon. Served in a hollowed-out pineapple (while they last) $11
NAVY GROG
Frank Sinatra’s favorite Tiki drink. A bracing blend of Jamaican and Demerara rums, perfumed with allspice and laced with lime and grapefruit $12
HAWAII 504
Chinese five-spice suspended in honey and shaken with Virgin Islands rum, ginger liqueur, lime and orange juices $10
NUI NUI
A smooth and silky rum punch by Don The Beachcomber, created in 1937 but lost to time until the Bum unearthed the recipe in the private papers of Don’s maître d’ Dick Santiago $10
BUM’S RUSH
Blanco tequila meets bonded American apple brandy, with hints of honey, lime and orange $11
ESPRESSO BONGO
Gold Jamaican rum bestirred by coffee syrup, pineapple, passion fruit, orange and lime $10
MAI TAI
Trader Vic’s 1944 classic: Aged Martinique and Jamaican rums, Curaçao, lime, and a whisper of almond $12
MISSISSIPPI MERMAID
A siren’s call of vodka, tamarind, allspice, lemon and banana $12
SUFFERING BASTARD
The drink that won the Battle of El Alamein: Dutch gin, French brandy, our own lime cordial and a barrage of bitters, topped with ginger beer. Concocted by Joe Scialom of Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo, 1942 $13
PONTCHARTRAIN PEARL DIVER
An “iced buttered rum”: our honey-butter-spice mix blended with passion fruit, lime and Jamaica rum $11
AQUADESIAC
Gold Barbados rum and Blue Curaçao teased with lemon, almond, caraway and Bénédictine $11
ZOMBIE
Our only slightly less lethal version of Don The Beachcomber’s infamous “mender of broken dreams.” Light, dark and overproof Caribbean rums lengthened with lime, grapefruit, cinnamon, and a dash of our house Undead Mix $13
KEA COLADA
A Piña Colada and then some: Jamaica and Virgin islands rums swirled with coconut cream, lime and pineapple $10
COMMUNAL DRINKS
RUM BARREL
For 2 to share, or 1 thirsty pirate to hoard. A kill-devil’s brew of 3 rums, 4 juices, multiple herbs, spices and sweeteners ... did we mention rum? $18
DAVY JONES’ LAGER
For 2 or more. Gold rum from Antigua and pure malt beer from Japan, informed by Curaçao, lime, and our spiced cane syrup $24
LAPU LAPU
For 2 or more. Don The Beachcomber’s “lost” unpublished 1964 recipe, recently discovered by the Bum and presented here for the first time in over 40 years $22
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that the only previously published recipes are:
- Bum's Rush (Intoxica, Remixed)
- Espresso Bongo (aka Kiliki Cooler from Remixed)
- Mai Tai (Grog Log, Sippin' Safari, Remixed, Potions)
- Navy Grog (Grog Log, Remixed)
- Nui Nui (Sippin' Safari)
The Aquadisiac appears to be a revamped verson of the drink that appeared in Remixed.
Several appear to be slightly different versions of Tiki classics:
- Pontchartrain Pearl Diver
- Rum Barrel
- Suffering Bastard
- Zombie
I'm excited about the newly unveiled classic recipes:
- Lapu Lapu
- Professor Remsberg's Punch
Of course, there are a few unique takes on some standards:
- Kea Colada
- Old-Fashioned Rum Cocktail
The rest appear to be Latitude 29 originals. FYI, Davy Jones Lager is a drink Jeff first introduced at The Hukilau in 2011 at the Kona Longboard room party. Looks like he's tweaked it a bit with Japanese beer and spiced syrup.
If anyone out there has sampled any of these, please share your thoughts (and photos).
