Cocktails make us feel good—at least the first two or three. But at Rouge Tomate, the new UES outpost of a popular, progressive Belgian restaurant, drinks made with fresh juices and antioxidant-loaded ingredients—and containing fewer calories—might actually do your body good.
Following the restaurant's rigorous S.P.E. (Sanitas Per Escam, or Health Through Food) charter, Rouge Tomate's drinks eliminate extraneous sugar and fat. Instead, mixologist Rainlove Lampariello relies on seasonal produce and house-made sodas prepped in the see-through "juicing room" behind the bar. Spiced apple puree flavors the bourbon-based Hudson Sour, which is sweetened with lavender honey instead of simple syrup. Pumpkin and celery juices make surprisingly good bedfellows with sake, yuzu and cucumber juice in the P.S.T, a low-octane drink designed to pair with dishes on the restaurant's menu. Detoxing? Try the alcohol-free Amber Palmer, made with jasmine and green teas, rosemary-grapefruit juice and mint.
Our favorite drink-of-the-moment is the Darling Clementine, a remarkably refreshing blend of gin, clementine juice and ginger. You don't even need an on-staff juicer to make it at home.
Darling Clementine
Makes 1 drink
Pinch of chopped mint leaves
1½ ounce dry gin (such as Beefeater)
2½ ounces fresh clementine juice
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
¼ ounce fresh ginger juice (see Note)
½ ounce egg white (about ½ large egg white)
½ ounce agave syrup
1 ounce seltzer or club soda
Clementine segment, for garnish
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the mint, gin, juices, egg white and agave syrup and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Pour into an ice-filled Collins glass, top with the seltzer and garnish with the clementine segment.
Note: To make fresh ginger juice, finely grate about 1 tablespoon of ginger over a paper towel, then squeeze out the juice.
Rouge Tomate, 14 E. 60th St. (between Madison and Fifth aves.); 646-237-8977 or rougetomate.com
Add to Your To-Do List
