The Long Island Iced Tea is a rite of passage. With the last sip, the pangs of the world vanish – until returning with a vengeance come the dawn, after the villainous concoction of vodka, gin, tequila, rum, triple sec and Coke has scoured your memory.
What if, however, there was a version that didn’t end up with an unfortunate initiate splayed on some fraternity lawn? Give the Long Island Iced Tea at Patria on Main a stir and it becomes – and this is going to be hard to write in the context of the drink – a balanced and nuanced alcohol-bomb with a pleasant finish that lingers like coffee-scented chocolate milk.
Naturally, this calls for an explanation. Patria’s LIIT begins conventionally, with vodka, tequila and rum. But then Kalua and Bailey’s Irish Liqueur enter the fray. Topped with a splash of Coke and a tumble of coconut flakes, and you are no longer in Riverhead, but basking on Manzanilla Beach. Coffee with tinges of cola, cream with a tropical flair, a friendly wave of chocolate – that’s how they dress the glass – hints of vanilla and bittersweet herbs, this is a version rich like a milkshake, but with an effervescent ripple. This is a big break from tradition, and one unlikely to cause the same regrets.
Patria also offers a “Tokyo Tea,” made with Midori. That’s for another visit. A note of caution on this one, however: specify the version on the menu, otherwise you will be served the original – and all of its consequences.
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