Shiki Sushi
207 W Highway 54
Homestead Market, Durham, NC
http://www.shikisushionline.com/
I am an unabashed fan of Shiki Sushi. Their intriguing deluxe rolls, relaxing atmosphere, and fantastic selection of non-sushi items never fail to leave me well-fed and happy. But there is the occasionally squeaky wheel and at last night's dinner, it was the Shiki Tini.
With a name like that, I assume that it's the signature cocktail of the house and they just might want to rethink that. It is a mixture of green tea liquor, citrus vodka, pineapple juice, sweet and sour mix, and lime juice. A solid list of ingredients though I admit, I ordered it mainly to try the green tea liquor.
The martini looked like clarified olive juice with a layer of froth. This did not affect my rating; though I hate olives, I was well aware there were none in this drink and would never have ordered it if there were. The sourness of the drink hits you first but the pucker power isn't overwhelming, just also not pleasing. That quickly mellows into a passing impression of watered down green tea and settles on a slightly sweet pear juice. With the fading of the tart first sip, I was left with a drink that just didn't have much presence.
1 star
Most of my posts on nightlife feature a specific cocktail that I’ve enjoyed rather than focusing on the atmosphere of the bar, club, or wine bar that I’m patronizing. Largely, that’s because I care more about what’s in my glass than I do what’s playing on the speakers. However, I am far more likely to enjoy neighborhood dive bars and wine bars than I am a club or anywhere with loud music. I’ll still give the latter a try, and if the beverages are inventive and fun, I’ll be back no matter the soundtrack!