Try your hand at making these innovative craft cocktails from Zuma and Ford’s Filling Station at home.
We love to hear about new and innovative cocktails thought up by great restaurants and bars from coast to coast. When we found out about the cocktail programs at Zuma in NYC and Ford’s Filling Station in LA, we knew we had to share them with our readers.
Zuma, originally from London, just opened its first restaurant in NYC late January of this year in Midtown East. Its two floors and three kitchens boast delicious modern Japanese cuisine highlighted by bold flavors, minimalist presentation, and quality ingredients. 
Ford’s Filling Station is the culinary child of Chef Ben Ford, Harrison Ford’s son. Located in the Delta Terminal of LAX, this laid back Californian gastropub focuses on the fundamentals of good cooking, using only the freshest ingredients. The bar is headed by Dushan Zaric of legendary NYC bar Employees Only.
We had a look over both cocktails menus of these two restaurants and picked what we thought would be our favorites. Below we share the recipes, although we are pretty sure the homemade experience wouldn’t be quite like having them in the restaurants, made with love by the bartenders who know their stuff.
1. The Rubabu at Zuma
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 oz Rhubarb Infused Sake
- 1 oz Vodka
- 2/3 oz Lemon juice
- 1/2 oz Simple syrup
- 2/3 oz fresh passion fruit pulp
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add cubed ice and shake well.
- Double strain into a chilled martini glass.
- As a garnish add a small bar spoon of passion fruit pulp with seeds.
- Category: Cocktail
2. Provençale at Ford’s Filling Station 
Provençale
Description
Lavender infused Gin stirred with Herbs de Provance infused French (Dry) Vermouth and dashes of Cointreau. Served up with orange twist.
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 2 ounces *Lavender-infused Fords Gin
- 1 1/4 ounces **Vermouth de Provence
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau
- 1 orange twist (for garnish)
Vermouth de Provence
- 2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
- 1 liter Noilly Prat dry vermouth
Lavender-infused Gin
- 2 tsp Dried Organic Lavender
- 1 liter Fords Gin
Instructions
Cocktail
- Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.
Vermouth de Provence
- Place all herbs in a small sauce pan on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of dry vermouth. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Let stand till cool. Add remaining vermouth
Lavender-infused Gin
- Place lavender in a small sauce pan. Add 2 cups of gin and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and allow to cool. Add remaining gin. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth into a bottle and discard the lavender. Store at room temperature away from sunlight.
Notes
Tasting Notes
Dominant Flavors: lavender and juniper with orange on the nose
Body or Mouth feel: velvety mouth feel, high alcohol
Dryness: medium with sharp acidity from rosemary and thyme
Complexity: high
Accentuating or contrasting flavors: herbal contrast against soft lavender flavors
Finish: long herbal finish with a sharp orange oils
- Category: Cocktail
3. Kobayashi at Ford’s Filling Station
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 1½ oz Monkey Shoulder Scotch
- ¾ oz Hibiscus Cordial
- ¾ oz Lemon juice
- Fever Tree Ginger Beer
- 1 dash Orange Bitters
Hibiscus Cordial
- 1 liter water
- 3 pounds bar sugar
- 5 ounces 100 proof vodka
- 5 ounces VS cognac
Instructions
Cocktail
- Shake all except ginger beer with ice and Strain into a rocks glass. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with Orange Half Wheel and dry hibiscus flower.
Hibiscus Cordial
- Bring water to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and add hibiscus and sugar stirring until sugar is entirely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add cognac and vodka, then strain and bottle immediately.
- Category: Cocktail
