The Lanikai Passion – a Fantastic Cocktail Featuring Fid Street Gin
I recently spent a few days in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu on the island of Oahu. While there I spent some quality at the Paniolo Bar located at the Equus Hotel.
When I first sat down at the bar, I looked over the cocktail menu and saw they had Koloa Rum both on the shelf and in their mai tai, and for me – that was a very good sign.
Koloa Rum is some of the best rum that you will ever have. Koloa Rum is distilled on the island of Kauai. See this link for more about their story: Koloa Rum Co. – Culinary Treasure Podcast Episode 30.
Bartender Extraordinaire Yulia Kolesnikova
Two different times that I sat at the bar at Paniolo Yulia Kolesnikova was my bartender. Goodness! Yulia is a great bartender.
Once she discovered that whenever possible I like to drink local and that I love gin Yulia poured me a taste of Fid St Gin distilled by Hamaille Distillery on the island of Maui.
Fid St Gin
Fid St Gin is crafted from 11 botanicals locally sourced in Hawaii and this gin very much resonated with me.
Yulia said, “let me create a cocktail for you using this gin”.
Yulia made me a superb cocktail that had Fid St Gin, Cointreau, lilikoi, mango, lime, a very small dash of pineapple juice, an orange twist, and a lime twist. This cocktail was amazing. It elevated the gin and had a delightfully subtle tropical feel.
A cocktail this good needed a name and after some prodding and with a little help Yulia decided to call it the Lanikai Passion. Lanikai for one of Yulia’s favorite Oahu beaches and passion for the lilikoi.
Have Yulia Create a Cocktail For You
Yulia is a very creative bartender with a stellar palate. My advice – when you visit the Paniolo tell Yulia your favorite spirit and have her create a cocktail for you.
Please Note: I am writing this article May 2022. Yulia is an excellent bartender, and I will not surprised if some another bar comes along sometime soon and outbids the Paniolo for Yulia services. If I owned the Paniolo I would give Yulia a big raise and keep her as long as I could.
Please Note – When I visited the Paniolo Bar last call was at 9:30 PM. This a bar you visit before you head off to dinner or in the early afternoon before you take a glorious nap.
Get Yourself a Bottle of Fid St Gin
As far as Fid St Gin goes if you see it available on the shelf at your liquor store – pick it out, take it home, and thank me later!
Hopefully someday I find myself on the island of Maui. I would love to interview the good folks there and record an episode of the Culinary Treasure Podcast with them.
Cheers!
Steven Shomler for Craft Cocktail Treasure part of the Culinary Treasure Network
