DRINK CULTURE
The MGM Grand offers a series of skinny cocktails, which include (from left to right) the Skinny Beach, Cosmopolitan “Flaca,” and the Skinny Cherry.
Figure-Friendly Cocktails To help guests preparing for summer, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is off ering its customers fi gure-friendly cocktails with
less than 150 calories each at its bars and restaurants. Th e pool at the MGM Grand off ers four such drinks, including the Berry Skinny, made with TY KU citrus liqueur and Cîroc Red Berry with sugar-free syrup. Th e company’s other properties are following suit, with the Bellagio off ering the Cosmopolitan “Flaca”—made with Absolut Citron, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, white cranberry juice and a splash of lime—and the Monte Carlo serving the Skinny Cherry (with cherry vodka, sugar-free Redbull, topped with a fl oat of cranberry juice and garnished with a cherry).
New Way to Serve
Draft Beer Certain promotions jump to the level of
Classic Drinks at Prohibition Prices
Occidental Grill & Seafood in Washington, D.C.
recently offered a promotion celebrating timeless classics during happy hour. Since Happy Hour owes its history to the 1930s, the Occidental offered its classic cocktails from that era at 1930s prices. Its patio was fi lled with antiques including a 1930s Rolls Royce and fi ve cocktails were offered for 18 cents with the purchase of any food item off the restaurant’s menu. Customers could choose from the Cherry Blossom, Cable Car, Last Word, Pimm’s Cup and A Real Old Fashioned (sans lime), which joined the normal hand-crafted bar menu created by resident sommelier Michael Williams.
an experience that spreads among customers. Th ink of the fl aming desserts off ered at some restaurants that cause patrons to say, “I want one of those.” Beer Tubes are quickly earning a similar reputation among bar owners. Th e 100-ounce beer dispensers come with a sports themed base that comes in more than 25 designs and chains such as Wings-N-More in Houston are seeing increased sales from the devices. Some of MillerCoors’ distributors have also being using the Beer Tubes for promotions centered around sporting events, including one successful promotion that focused on Molson Canadian during hockey season.
JULY/AUGUST 2011 | 9
