St.Pete Foodies: Exotic Cocktails with a Splash of Tropical, Post Vietnam War at Saigon Blonde

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“Saigon Blonde is a one-of-a-kind lounge & cocktail bar that takes you to a different world. From their exotic cocktail menu, to their extraordinary post-Vietnam War themed decor, to their talented bartenders, they provide St. Pete with a fascinating experience. A night out for cocktails at Saigon Blonde is unlike any other in the area. Kevin, Lori and I had a great time sipping on these cocktails and we especially loved the presentation of each one!

You have to try these drinks: Charlie Don’t Surf ,

Charlie Don't Surf was the first one we tried. This drink is a mix of Avuá Cachaça, Banana, Lime, and a Caramelized Banana. The ancient Cachaça is a bright, refreshing lime taste which is paired great with the banana. The drink as a whole reminded me of a unique banana infused piña colada, or something tropical that you would drink on the beach. We were impressed with the taste and the detail of the caramelized banana to top it off.

The detail that went into this drink really made it delicious. If you like the taste of bananas and have a desire for a smooth, tropical drink, you should try the Charlie Don't Surf.

Depart at Dawn: Depart at Dawn was love at first sip. Think of your favorite gin drink, now add some refreshing and tropical flavors, and swirl in some passion fruit and lemon, and there you have it: Depart at Dawn. This beautiful drink is made up of Bombay Gin, Falernum, Orgeat, Passion Fruit, Lemon, and Angostura Bitters. Surprisingly the fruit taste was more of a deeper berry than what you would expect. It was easy to slurp down because of how refreshing it was. I love fun and flirty drinks, so this was right up my alley!

Shiso Vain: Let's all give a round of applause for the coolest cup in St. Pete! Not only was this cocktail photo-worthy, but it also tasted amazing. Shiso Vain is a mix of Deep Eddy Grapefruit Vodka, Lime, Shiso, Crystallized Ginger, and Grapefruit Soda. The bartender, (Kung Fu Bartender Pat Lee as Kevin likes to call him), described it as a southeast Asian mojito. Shiso leaves are in the mint family, which definitely explains why he compared it to a mojito. The hints of grapefruit, lime, and ginger added to the overall taste, making it pleasingly tart with a citrus taste which brought the whole drink together with a tangy kick. If you like mojitos, you must try this drink.

Hemp Day: Keep the buzz going with Hemp Day, a CBD infused cocktail with Banyan Reserve Vodka, Jalapeño, Lime, Mango Kush Beer, all topped with a hemp seed marijuana leaf design. Kick back and enjoy this interesting cocktail as it truly tastes one-of-a-kind. Right as the bartender presented the drink, we could smell the weed aroma and we were actually shocked at how strong it was! Within the first sip, your senses are going wild. As you start to drink the cocktail, you smell the bouquet of the hemp seeds, (which smells like pot, but it's not), and begin to taste the foamy kush beer, and then comes the cooling vodka. As you finish your sip, the aftertaste of the jalapeño kicks in which adds to the heat of the exotic drink. Hemp Day is definitely a St. Pete staple that deserves all of the attention. You just gotta try it!

Saigon Blonde is the perfect place to experience something new and exciting. The vibe is great, the bartenders are friendly and all of the drinks are created with intention. Grab some pals and check out Saigon Blonde's amazing cocktail menu.”