Halloween at The Hungry Cat + A White Zombie Recipe

Tomorrow The Hungry Cat goes all South Pacific for Halloween, with a special Tiki holiday menu. The folks at David Lentz' Hollywood restaurant (he also has a Hungry Cat in Santa Barbara), justly famous for its cocktails, will be mixing Mai Tais and White Zombies for the occasion. For dinner they'll be serving Pu Pu platters, tuna poke, and braised pork belly with grilled pineapple and coconut rice. A smaller version of the regular dinner menu will also be available.

Why the luau theme? (Last year everybody dressed up like pirates.) Because Lentz and wife Suzanne Goin (Lucques, AOC, Tavern) recently spent a month in Hawaii. Why not. Dress up like Mitzi Gaynor. Keep reading for bartender Jake Hames' White Zombie cocktail recipe.

A. Scattergood

pumpkin cat at The Hungry Cat

A. Scattergood

white zombie

White Zombie
From: Hungry Cat bartender Jake Hames.
Makes: 1 cocktail

1 1/2 ounces light rum (such as Flor de Caña)
3/4 ounce coconut milk
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce Fresno chili simple syrup (recipe below)
1 "float" (or splash) of grenadine
twist of lime peel

1. Combine all ingredients except the grenadine and lime peel in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a bucket or cocktail glass.

2. Pour a little splash of grenadine over the top of the drink (a "float) and garnish with a lime peel twist.

Fresno chili simple syrup:

1. Boil equal parts water and sugar and a few quartered Fresno chilis in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan until the liquid thickens slightly. Cool and reserve.