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Drink this: Frozen Aperol spritz at Mentone
If there is an official drink of summer, that title belongs to Mentone’s Frozen Bubbly Spritz ($16). This blended, tangerine-colored cocktail epitomizes the nonchalant European playfulness of David Kinch’s Italian and French Riviera-inspired restaurant. It’s so entwined with its identity that it’s branded onto T-shirts and beach towels on display when you step into the art-filled Aptos dining room. Think of it as a liquid version of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” or whatever song that’s currently on repeat in your head while you dream about spending the day at the beach.
I’ve written about Mentone several times and as recently as April, but I realized as I was sipping one of these spritzes through a red and white paper straw on its patio a few weeks ago that I’ve never mentioned this cocktail. It’s an error I hope to rectify now, because for me, it’s an automatic order every time I visit. It’s especially appropriate to start a meal of raw hamachi crudo perfumed with lime, Caesar salad made with bitter, frilly radicchio and artfully singed Neapolitan pizzas at Little Beach, Mentone’s seasonal al fresco lunch service.
There are as many different kinds of spritzes as there are pizzas, but the Aperol spritz, made with the bright orange-colored Italian liqueur, prosecco and club soda, and garnished with a slice of orange, has become vastly popular as an aperitif. Mentone amplifies the traditional recipe by adding freshly squeezed orange juice, white trebbiano wine and Ketel One Peach Blossom vodka, then passing it through a slushie machine. The result is a smooth textured, fruity yet not-too-sweet sipper that will transport you to someplace warm and sandy.
Best of the Week Ahead
Below, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
News of the week
ICYMI – here are the food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed.
New Leaf Markets set October departure date for downtown Santa Cruz store (Lookout)
Alderwood loosens its tie under new chef Mikey Adams (Lookout)