By Nila Do Simon
Portrait by Jason Nuttle
When creating Takato’s cocktail menu, bar manager Lou Alvarado says it was vital to complement the oceanside restaurant’s paradisaical backdrop. No matter what, Alvarado says, “Drinks on this menu are meant to be enjoyed while looking at the ocean.” Opened in October, the Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant with 100 outdoor seats, plus another 68 indoor options, celebrates takato, loosely translated from Japanese to mean “a state of extreme happiness.” Headed by veteran chef Taek “Taka” Lee, the former executive sushi chef at the celebrated Zuma and Makoto, as well as executive chef at Monkitail, Takato offers a twist on the classic Zombie cocktail by incorporating traditional Korean flavors, including plum extract and peach soju. Now that’s a taste of happiness.
INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces white rum
1 ounce soju
1 ounce grapefruit juice
3/4 ounce Korean plum extract
Juice from half of a lime
3 dashes of Angostura bitters
Kochukaru (optional)
Pour ingredients into a shaker. Add cubed and crushed ice, then shake. If a “dirty” version is desired, add kochukaru.
551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, conradfortlauderdale.com
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2020-2021 Issue.
