Film buffs and cocktail connoisseurs unite! If you love the classic film Casablanca, and you love delectable food and great drinks, you’ll probably love the restaurant “Casablanca.” Located in Manhattan’s East Village, Rick’s Café Americain has been commemorated in this new restaurant. From the collage mural of Casablanca movie posters and the cocktail menu that features such delights as the Laszlo Daiquiri and Rick’s Rita, the décor and menu pay homage to the cinematic masterpiece. Don’t worry if you don’t live in NYC. You can turn on the classic movie, and clink your glasses to these Casablanca inspired cocktails, straight from the new restaurant.
Laszlo Daiquiri
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Spiced rum
¾ oz. Aperol
¾ Fresh lemon
2 Dashes of orange bitters
1 Dash of demerara syrup
Orange zest
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour in a coupe glass. Garnish with a twist of orange.
Bogart Mint Sour
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. maker’s mark
½ fresh lemon
2 Dashes of demerara syrup
Orange slice
Mint
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass and stir. Add a chunk of ice and an orange slice for garnish.
Rick’s Rita
Ingredients
1½ oz. Cinnamon Tequila
½ oz. Pineapple Nectar
½ Lime
¼ Agave
Dash of Old Bay
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake. Rim a rocks glass with Old Bay. Serve over ice with a lime garnish.
Le Marseillaise
Ingredients
1 ½ citrus vodka
¾ peach schnapps
½ lemon
Dash of cranberry juice
Orange peel
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake. Pour into a coupe glass and add an orange peel garnish.
Parisian 75
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Mezcal
½ oz. St. Germain
½ Lemon
¼ oz. Simple syrup
Muddled strawberry
Top with Prosecco
Directions: Combine first five ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Pour into a coupe glass, then top with Prosecco. Float a strawberry slice on top.
Moroccan Manhattan
Ingredients
2 oz. Rye
3/4 oz. Averna
Fig bitters (or ango)
Orange twist
Gingered orange
Directions: Add ingredients to a coupe glass and stir. Garnish with an orange twist.
Madina Papadopoulos is a freelance writer, author, and regular contributor to Paste. Follow her on Twitter