Stokes Adobe’s take on a Japanese cocktail, an occasional feature on the menu, is a prize find.

Aimi can come to the rescue when you are bratty and undecided, when some cocktails on the menu seem too strong, others too sweet or too sour.

Faithful to the Japanese roots of this drink, Stokes Adobe’s Aimi is based on high-quality Haku vodka, made from white rice. Dry orange curacao, honey, lemon and green apple juice keep Haku company. But vodka is just one option. Aimi is just as appealing with whiskey or gin – both preferably Japanese.

Aimi means “love and beauty” in Japanese, and the cocktail strives to keep to these ideals. It is fresh, combining subtle sweetness and nuanced citrus notes. The Stokes Adobe’s version makes one think about a refined margarita – without aggressiveness of tequila – or a much lighter version of Brazilian caipirinha.

Since Aimi is not always on the menu, it would probably make sense to learn how to make it at home – a stylish, easy-to-drink cocktail that is not overtly complicated in terms of mixing. In addition to investing in Japanese liquor, some versions of Aimi include ume (plum) and Super Sawa (or Sūpāsawā), a non-alcoholic mixer which blends five different acids: citric, malic, tartaric, succinic and phosphoric.

Aimi is $18 at Stokes Adobe, and it will be hard to limit yourself to one. Fortunately, it also comes in a non-alcoholic version. It is served with thin fresh slices of Granny Smith mounted on top. It tastes of beauty and sophistication, suiting the ambiance of the bar at Stokes.

Stokes Adobe, 500 Hartnell St., Monterey. (831) 264-8775, stokesadobe.com