Doraku Drink Showdown

If you haven’t been to Doraku Sushi, you are missing out on a world of delectable sushi, an assortment of hot and cold dishes, and above all else, an extensive drink menu. Although many diners may prefer the traditional route of sake and shochu with their meal, I like to challenge the norms and go with a cocktail combining the two.

Last weekend at dinner, I ordered two recommended cocktails: Dancing Geisha and Rising Sun. Both were equally tantalizing: Dancing Geisha features a sweet mixture of soju and house-made berry puree, while the Rising Sun is a tangy elixir of sake, plum wine, cranberry juice and lemon.

The cocktails are vibrant in color, which always makes a drink look more appetizing, and both are topped with fresh fruit. The Dancing Geisha has strawberries, while a lemon sits atop the Rising Sun.

My mission was to finish both cocktails, obviously — but most importantly, I wanted to crown a champion. To figure out which one is better, I put these two popular Doraku cocktails head-to-head; one drink would reign supreme.

At first taste, Dancing Geisha had my vote, but upon further testing (aka drinking the entire cocktail), I found the sweetness to be overwhelming. Toward the end, the berry puree became muddled with the ice, and it felt as though I was drinking syrup. Plus, I couldn’t really find the taste of the soju, and that was what I had been most excited for. I did like the strawberries, though. If you want a sweet drink, this cocktail is for you.

But, if you want a drink that is strong and delicious, look no farther than the winner of this round: Rising Sun. Sake and plum wine are both delicious on their own, and when mixed with cranberry juice and lemon, the combination is out of this world. At one point, the drink was sweet, and then it was sour — my taste buds were dancing happily among the flavors. To top it all off, the rim is coated with li hing powder, pulling in all of the flavors to give the cocktail a full-bodied taste.

It all comes down to how sweet or strong you like your cocktails. Choose wisely.

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