DJhere Productions would like to congratulate Gaijin Noodle + Sake House  for its graduation into the big sips club. That’s right; Gaijin is now more than just a sake house, they now offer a full liquor menu of tasty concoctions featuring speciality drinks with Asian flair. Gaijin unveiled its new offerings last Thursday for a private media event held inside the restaurant and graciously treated DJhere and other guests to complementary tastings of their new adult beverages and accompanying bites. Needless, to say, the ladies of DJhere decided to make a girls night of it and taste for ourselves what all the buzz was about…and let us assure you, our taste-buds were not disappointed.

Upon arriving at the restaurant we saw an array of media representatives sipping on a variety of exotic and savory cocktails that are stars of the Gaijin’s new, full bar. After a long day a the office, we were excited to grab some of our favorite bites to ease the rumble from our tummies and even more excited to take the edge off of a long day with a perfectly chilled and perfectly crafted cocktails from the bar. The cocktail menu was designed by San Diego’s renowned mixologists Jen Queen, Lucien Conner and Ian Ward of the Queen-Conner-Ward Collective, whose knack for alcoholic beverages has brought new life to foodie joints such as Prep Kitchen, Prohibition, and Puesto.

After sampling three different cocktail variations featuring vodka, rum, and gin, we all agreed on a verdict for Gaijin’s new menu additions – DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS!

One of our personal favorites was the MAO’s MULE. An Gaijin spin on the classic mule, this frosty cocktail is made with green tea vodka (it’s even more amazing than it sounds), pressed lime, ginseng bitters and house ginger beer. It is a tarty but sweet concoction with a green tea kick. We all agreed that we could drink an unhealthy amount of these delicious cocktails on a regular basis.
Being a bit of green tea fanatics, us ladies were also fond of the GREEN TEA-LYCHEE SANGRIA with Sauvignon Blanc, vodka, lychee, green tea and bitters. For those of you who aren’t familiar,  Lychee is a fruit with the consistency of a grape but with a sweeter taste and a floral fragrance. Pair this underrated fruit with the right blend of liquor? The result of these combined ingredients is a light, sweet cocktail with a just the right amount of kick. The green tea creates a nice, balanced flavor and, if you are a fan of green tea or sangria, this is going to be your new favorite drink.

More offerings off the Queen-Conner-Ward Collective menu include:

SHISO JULEP – Bourbon, Shiso, Demerara Sugar

GAIJIN SLING – A slight twist on the original, made with fresh squeezed pineapple

BUDDHA – House Infused Buddha’s Hand Vodka, Maraschino Liquor, Fresh Lemon

YUZU – Asian Pear Infused Vodka, Fresh Lime, Yuzu, Cane Syrup

To top off the night, we also sampled some of our favorite bites, including oxtail soup, yellowtail sashimi, savory fish meat balls,  and of course, Gaijin’s delectable carnitas and vegetarian bao baos. If you haven’t tried their food yet, you’re missing out. San Diego Magazine’s critics crowned Gaijin as the BEST ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT of 2012 and deservingly so. Want to know more about Gainin’s amazing menu? Check out our restaurant review here.

You can get some of these cocktail and bites half off during happy hour Monday-Friday from 5pm-7pm. Don’t forget that Gaijin is open LATE on weekends. So next time hunger strikes, ditch the greasy burritos and pizza and stop into Gaijin for some quality food or for the perfect date or birthday dinner with friends, make your reservation by calling 619-238-0567.

Hours:Fridays and Saturdays 5pm-3am

Sunday-Thursday: 5pm-1am