For Goodness Sake

Top shelf sake at Lucky Belly

In three days, millions of people across America will be eating, drinking and merrymaking to their heart's content. Then there's you, who will be eating, drinking and merrymaking to your heart's content - tonight.

The reason: Lucky Belly's brand-new menu of eight rotating specialty cocktails, launching tonight. The libations are bright, Asian-inspired, and, like the Chinatown eatery's giant bowls of ramen, absolutely delicious.

As if that wasn't reason enough to be thankful, Lucky Belly co-owner Dusty Grable graciously shared two saketini recipes from the menu, i.e. the perfect sips for a holiday party.

We'll drink to that.

Sin #6 (a.k.a. Green with Envy)
clean, refreshing, herbaceous with a hint of citrus

3 slices Japanese cucumber
1 shiso leaf, plus 1 for garnish
1.5 oz. Hayman's Old Tom Gin
.5 oz. jasmine syrup (boil and steep equal parts sugar and water with loose leaf jasmine tea)
.5 oz. fresh lime juice
1.5 oz. Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake

In a mixing glass, muddle the cucumber and shiso. Add the gin, jasmine syrup and fresh lime juice, then add ice. Shake hard to break the cucumber and shiso. Double strain into a cocktail glass and top with sparkling sake. Garnish with a shiso leaf.

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creamy sherbert flavor with a sweet-sour note

1 oz. Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1 oz. Tozai Junmai Nigori Snow Maiden Sake
.5 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
1 egg white
.75 oz. Choya Excellent Umeshu

Combine all ingredients except the Umeshu in a mixing glass with ice. Shake hard, then strain into a wine glass and top with Umeshu. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

$10 each, available at Lucky Belly, 50 N. Hotel St.