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Mida borders Massachusetts Avenue, not the Mediterranean, but for years the South End restaurant has transported guests to a rocky Italian shoreline with the help of a zippy cocktail called Amalfi Coast. That house favorite—made with vodka, grapefruit juice, passion fruit liqueur, and the bergamot-based Italian aperitif Italicus—is currently available to-go, as well as for socially distanced indoor and patio dining.
“Every restaurant needs that really delicious, easy-to-drink vodka cocktail and this is our take on that,” says Seth Gerber, a sommelier and partner at Mida. “It’s bright and citrusy, it’s not too alcoholic or intense, and it pairs really well with food. In the warmer months, it’s perfect to quench your thirst, and, in the winter months, it makes you think about the warmer months.”
The year-round wonder is predictably tart from the grapefruit juice, but gains a floral complexity, slight bitterness, and light lemon zest courtesy of Italicus. A touch of passion fruit liqueur rounds the drink out with a juicy sweetness, which also keeps it from becoming too astringent.
Food-wise, Gerber suggests sipping the Amalfi Coast alongside a Piatto di Antipasti. “When you get that rich bite of cheese and salumi and you need something to cleanse your palate, it’s a really delicious pairing,” he says, “since it has very high acidity from the grapefruit and citrus.”
The to-go version serves two. For at-home serving, Gerber recommends giving your Amalfi Coast a quick shake over ice and straining into a martini glass with a grapefruit twist garnish.
“You can put it on the rocks if that’s your preference; there’s no right or wrong way,” Gerber says. Relax and make it however you’d like. This drink is meant to be an Italian-vacation-in-a-glass, after all.