Fresh mango, ginger, lime & mint — Rasa Burlingame
The mojito is the template — mint, lime, sugar, ice, sparkling — but Rasa's Mango Ginger-Jito replaces the rum with fresh mango purée and a bold hit of ginger juice, grounding the drink firmly in South Asian flavour territory. Mango (aam in Hindi, maavadu in Tamil) is the king of Indian summer fruit — used in drinks, chutneys, pickles, and curries from Kashmir to Kerala. Ginger (adrak) is one of the most ubiquitous spices in Indian cooking, appearing in virtually every curry and many sweets. Together they make a drink that feels simultaneously tropical and familiar.
Alphonso mango purée (canned) is widely available at Indian grocery stores and gives a more consistent, intensely flavoured result than blending fresh mangoes out of season. Kesar mango also works well. Fresh ginger juice is what gives this drink its kick — don't reduce it. Crushed ice makes a better presentation but regular cubes work fine.
Rasa in Burlingame has built one of the most accomplished Indian cocktail programmes in the Bay Area. The bar draws from the restaurant's coastal Indian kitchen — kokum, raw mango, fresh turmeric, curry leaf — and creates drinks that feel like a natural extension of the tasting menu. An essential stop for anyone exploring modern Indian hospitality in the South Bay.
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