We are all a bit of cocktail nerds here at Ka’ana and even love to infuse our own alcohol (you saw our post about what we like to make in house here http://tinyurl.com/99lk2q2)
You can take a cocktail class with one of our master mixologist, learn about local alcohols or how to improve your own cocktail repertoire. Or hang in our newly renovated Freize lounge and try our variety of bespoke Belize inspired cocktails.
Freshly squeezed Orange and Pineapple Juices, and Jalapeno-infused Rum, topped with Cranberry and Lime Juices; served shaken over Ice.
Ingredients
1.5 Oz. Jalapeno-infused Rum
.25 Oz. Grenadine Syrup
1.5 Oz. Cranberry Juice
1.5 Oz. Pineapple Juice
1 Oz. Orange Juice
1 Ice Scoop
Preparation
Infuse 8 Jalapenos (Sliced) in Rum for 6 hours. Add Cranberry, Orange and Pineapple Juices, Grenadine Syrup and Ice into shaker; shake thoroughly. Pour into All-Purpose glass and garnish with Cherry, Lime wedge and Pineapple slice.
Enjoy this recipe at home or at the Frieze Lounge at Ka’ana.
Freshly squeezed Lime and Pineapple Juices, and Lemongrass-infused Lite Rum served over Ice.
Ingredients
1.5 Oz. Lemongrass-infused Vodka
3 Oz. Pineapple Juice
.25 Oz. Lime Juice
1 Ice Scoop
Preparation
Infuse 25-30 Lemongrass leaves in Crystal Lite Rum for 3 days. Add Ice, Lime and Pineapple Juices and Vodka into shaker; shake thoroughly until Frost forms. Pour into Cocktail glass and garnish with Lemongrass leaf.
Still thinking about the weekend? Here’s our top cocktails to get you looking forward to happy hour.
1. Lemongrass-infused Lite Rum
Freshly squeeze lime and pineapple juices and lemongrass-infused lite rum served over ice
2. Chile Tamarind Margarita
Cointreau, Jalapeno-infused tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and tamarind, served frozen or on the rocks with chili-seasoned salt on rim
3. Basil-Honey Martini
Purple basil leaves muddled with house vodka, farm honey, freshly squeezed lime juice and a splash of Sweet Vermouth
4. Dragonfly
Freshly squeezed lime and orange juices, strawberry tea-infused vodka garnished with lime and served over ice
5. Guava-Lime Lite Rum
Champagne, freshly squeezed guava mix and lime juice, lite rum and sweetener served over ice
6. Ginger-Lemon Martini
Fresh ginger extract, farm honey, lemon-basil and vodka served Martini style
7. Jalapeno-infused Rum
Freshly squeezed orange and pineapple juices and Jalapeno-infused rum topped with cranberry and lime juices, served shaken over ice
8. Mamila Mango Martini
Green Manila mango-infused vodka, splashed with freshly squeezed lime juice, topped with elderflower and sweetener and garnished with lime wheel or mango slice
9. Banana- Craboo Freeze
Banana, locally made Craboo cream, Nance liqueur, sour yogurt and sweetener
10. Banana-Hazel Martini
Banana, Frangelico liqueur and vodka served martini style
Be sure to try these at the Frieze Lounge at Ka’ana.
Ring in this Fourth of July with Ka’ana’s tasty jerk chicken recipe. Our head chef, Polo, shares his recipe with us and all of you to enjoy at today’s independence day barbecue!
Ka’ana presented the first of a series of events highlighting prominent Belizean artists or personalities. Intended to be intimate events that give visitors the opportunity to listen to and speak with the artist, these evenings will also highlight the culinary team’s abilities in providing customized local menus; while Master Mixologist, Polo Arguelles showcases his specialty drinks at half off the menu prices.
This first event shared the work of renowned artist, Pen Cayetano. A gifted visual artist and musician, Pen has made a name for himself both locally and internationally. With his recognized artwork and performance, guests had the opportunity to enjoy a night of great food, drinks, and entertainment.
Whether you delved in Pen’s paintings, sipped on Polo’s specialty martinis, snacked on our Artisan’s hors d’ oeuvres or danced to the vibrant rhythm of Pen’s drum, we here at Ka’ana thank you for invigorating our night!
So it’s been one of those days where no amount of espresso will keep my mind focused! The hours keep ticking by and my to-do list keeps growing. Which leads me to a task I always consider one of the easier on my schedule, expanding and updating the playlists for the restaurant and bar. Seems like a fun job, something fairly straightforward and achievable irrespective of how my mushed my head is, right? Maybe not…
When we created La Ceiba Restaurant, the ethos was very much to represent the best of local and regional styles with an international flair. Chef Kuylen reaches the gastro heights with his understanding of local favorites, doubled with his San Fran experience. Polo brings the noise with his cocktails, and I’m reasonably happy with our wine offering (which I can’t blame on anyone else!). We’ll come back another time to discuss design, service etc, but the part of the experience that’s often under-appreciated and overlooked is that of the music. I chose to go with regional music of all kinds, as well as a few from further afield that we all personally enjoy. I wanted the music to be chilled-out and loungy, have a latin edge, and wanted stayed away from lyrics (especially English) so as not to take away from the aesthetic of the culinary experience. In general I opted for more light-hearted, upbeat music to make the experience more enjoyable and carefree. Think vacations, chilling, summertime, food, cockails, friends and fun!
Achieving this however is a whole ‘nother thing entirely! Where to start? It’s been a long road, a lot of trying and testing and listening and changing. And it’s ever-evolving. I cannot wait for our upcoming partnership with the ever-so-cool Stonetree Records, but in the meantime will have to settle for foraging through the internet wilderness, searching for the sweet taste of latin lounge music. Wish me luck!
