Prontino Perfects 5 Summer Cocktails on South Cambie

Dec 19 2017, 6:48 pm

Mixologist Sathi Rajan makes magic behind his bar every night, crafting tasty bevies with great ingredients. He went the extra mile for Vancity Buzz readers, to create these summer sips for your lips and your taste buds to!

5 Summer Cocktails on South Cambie

By Vancity Buzz

 

Mixologist Sathi Rajan makes magic behind the Prontino bar every night,. He went the extra mile for Vancity Buzz readers, to create these summer sips for your lips and your taste buds too!

  • Bombay Sapphire EAST & Tonic

    By Vancity Buzz

    Gin & Tonic done Spanish style! Within seconds this cocktail takes away the pain of a stressful day and brings a smile to your face.

  • Calabrese

    By Vancity Buzz

    A bubble cocktail with seductive spice, sweet basil and a subtle orange twist.

  • Breakfast at Tiffany’s

    By Vancity Buzz

    The perfect balance of flavour, fruit and fun. Marrying pear vodka with fresh strawberries, a hint of cucumber and the scent of roses, makes this the perfect spa drink in your mouth.

  • Elderflower Anejo

    By Vancity Buzz

    A refreshing cocktail marrying elderflowers with premium aged tequila that will awaken your taste buds and have you dreamin’ of the beach in the Mayan Riviera.

  • The Bacardi 8 Greyhound

    By Vancity Buzz

    An almost Tiki-esque cocktail, so rich and bold that it will make you ‘smack’ your lips on the first sip. Relax, you’re home now!

bombay East Gin Tonic
Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

Here’s what you need to know to make it at home:

Ingredients:

Method:

  • Fill a large goblet or large wine glass with ice (large cubes are best).
  • Pour Bombay Sapphire EAST over ice into glass.
  • Release lime skin over ice (skin facing towards ice) by squeezing two ends together towards yourself. Then rub the skin of the lime on outer rim of glass. Place peel in glass.
  • Repeat above with lemon peel but rub the inner rim of glass. Place peel in glass.
  • Place bar spoon into middle of ice so spoon is touching the bottom where the gin is. Slowly pour Fever Tree down spoon. When finished gently role the ice with the spoon.

Garnish:

  • Take lemon grass stick and cut off ends, about 3 to 4 inches in length. Pell out rim to reveal fresh lemon grass. Strike with back of knife a few times to release essential oils. Place in drink.

Calebrese

A bubble cocktail with seductive spice, sweet basil and a subtle orange twist.

Prontino_img15
Image:@JonnyPicture JonnyPicture.com

Here’s what you  to know to make it at home:

Ingredients:

Method:

  • Place all alcohol ingredients into Champagne flute adding Prosecco last; make sure the Prosecco is well chilled.

Garnish:

  • Pierce the skin of the chilli on one side with three little holes using tip of knife.
  • Slap your hand on basil leaf to release oils and rub gently on outside and inside of glass rim. Discard leaf.
  • Slap your hand on second basil leaf and place into cocktail along with the chilli.

Prontino_img10Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

Angela Maida, owner of both Prontino & Pronto, on Sathi Rajan

“Sathi was chosen for his expertise. I didn’t want just a straight up bartender, I wanted somebody who was ultimately in my mind, what a cook is to food — he is to drinks. He is a mixologist, he is somebody who understands ingredients, how to blend things and how to come up with creations that are interesting. He brings different twists on Classics, he’s just got some special touches that are well appreciated and a very solid knowledge of Italian cocktails.”

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

The perfect balance of flavour, fruit and fun. Marrying pear vodka with fresh strawberries, a hint of cucumber and the scent of roses, makes this the perfect spa drink in your mouth.

Prontino_img18
Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

Here’s what you need to know to make it at home:

Ingredients:

  • 2.0oz Grey Goose La Poire (French for Grey Goose Pear)
  • 0.5oz St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur (Made from freshly picked Elderflowers)
  • 0.5oz Fresh Lemon juice
  • 1/2tsp Rose Water
  • 6 Large sweet seedless grapes (dark coloured preferred)
  • 2 Ripe med/large strawberries
  • 1 Cucumber

Method:

  • Place all ingredients, except one strawberry, into shaker tin and muddle.
  • Shake, strain and double strain into Collins glass.
  • Fill with ice.

Garnish:

  • Cut 1 strawberry ¾ at angle and place on edge of glass
  • Cut a thin strip of cucumber and place into glass.

Elderflower Anejo

A refreshing cocktail marrying elderflowers with premium aged tequila that will awaken your taste buds and have you dreamin’ of the beach in the Mayan Riviera.

Prontino_img17
Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

Here’s what you need to know to make it at home:

Ingredients:

Method:

  • Place all ingredients, except soda, into mixing glass.
  • Fill glass with ice and stir gently to chill, careful not to over dilute if using small ice cubes.
  • Using a strainer pour into glass, add some ice and a splash of soda.

Garnish:

  • Using garnish tool, create a lemon spiral and place on top of drink.

The Bacardi 8 Greyhound

An almost Tiki-esque cocktail, so rich and bold that it will make you ‘smack’ your lips on the first sip. Relax, you’re home now!

Bacardi8Year

Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

Here’s what you need to know to make it at home:

Ingredients:

Method:

  • Add all ingredients into the mixing glass.
  • Add ice and stir to chill down and mix, careful not to over dilute drink.
  • Pour into rocks glass and add ice.

Garnish:

  • Cut 3 to 4 thin half-moons of pink grapefruit and place into glass.

Prontino Pronto
Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

All cocktails available at Prontino and Pronto Caffe.

Address: 3475 & 3473 Cambie Street
Phone: (604) 722-9331
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 5:00pm – till late
Website: www.prontocaffe.ca
Twitter: @prontinocambie

Prontino_img2

Image: JonnyPicture.com @JonnyPicture

More about Mixologist Sathi Rajan

Sathi started out as an importer/exporter in Shanghai for alcohol. He took several years off before getting back into the Vancouver bartending restaurant industry where he’s been having a huge impact the last few years.

What makes Prontino unique?

SR: Prontino is attached to Pronto, which is a Trattoria – an Italian casual dining experience that has been around for 3 years, with all scratch made dishes and pastas. Owner, Angela Maida, was hearing from a lot of her great regular customers that they were also looking for a bar in the area, which prompted her to create an Italian cocktail lounge to fulfill this need. A place where great food can be enjoyed with great cocktails and a great little wine and beer list. That’s what she envisioned and she brought me on board to help develop and create it with her.

When you look at the experience here, we definitely take customers to a different world. When you walk into Prontino you feel it immediately, like you have been taken back to circa 1930 Italy. A lot of Italians come in here and say ‘wow, there is a little place like this in my hometown.’ The designer Scott Cohen really did an amazing job with the place.

What makes a great cocktail?

SR: I always like the phrase complex simplicity, easily duplicable, lots of mis en place (preparation) which means you prepare a lot of the key ingredients beforehand. Speed is very important as well as a proper balance and proper use of ice.

What do you think about the Vancouver Cocktail scene?

SR: I think the caliber of “mixologists/ bartenders” are amazing. The difference between a mixologoist and a bartender is just someone who geeks out over it, to be honest. People are starting to strive and to try and taste these drinks. There is a huge underground culture that has become more main stream. I don’t think it’s a fad, I think it’s coming full circle.

What’s your favourite booze to work with?

SR: It would have to be rum! My family being from the Fiji Islands, I have an affinity to rum and aged rums. One of my major go to’s and one I started playing around with a lot is the Barcardi 8 year old because of the value, the flavour profile and the depth you can play with it – in cocktails it really shines.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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