Fresh lime, black salt, cumin & ginger — Rasa Burlingame
Shikanji (also spelled shikanjvi) is the lemonade of the Indian subcontinent — a salty, tangy, spiced drink that has been served by street vendors in Delhi, Jaipur, and Lucknow for generations, especially during the summer months when temperatures can exceed 45°C. Unlike American lemonade, shikanji is never cloyingly sweet: black salt (kala namak) and roasted cumin push it firmly into savory territory, while ginger adds warmth and fresh mint cools. Rasa serves a refined version of this street classic — $14 on a menu alongside cocktails priced at $18–20 — as a signal that Indian food traditions are as valuable as anything from behind a bar. The drink arrived at a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. The cart-wallah would approve.
Kala namak is the ingredient that makes shikanji unmistakably Indian — its sulfurous, slightly eggy depth is ancient and distinctive. Every Indian grocery store carries it. The drink should be tart and savory, not sweet — if your first sip tastes mostly sweet, add more lime and a pinch more kala namak. Roasting the cumin seeds yourself takes 2 minutes and dramatically improves the flavour vs pre-ground cumin.
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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