By: Julieta Hernandez Photos by: Tyler Schultz
Amid the long span of Texas beaches lining the Port Aransas coast, every now and then you’ll find the perfect little tiki bar with a laid-back vibe, shaking up cocktails. REDS’ patio bar is tucked in Palmilla Beach Resort, just a frisbee’s throw from the beach, and filled with the same salty breeze, sans the sand.
For vibe-setting beach precursors, the bartenders at REDS offer a taste of the tropics in cocktail glasses all season long, and they’ve got an ice-cold remedy to beat the heat: The Lime in the Coconut is what Red’s bartenders prescribe for your fun in the Port A sun. “It’s the flavors of being on the island and being on vacation,” said Calais St. Pierre as she prepared the cocktail. “It’s a fresh, more tart drink.”
In making this drink, the bartender begins with Pearl Coconut Vodka, a smooth spirit to set the tone. After adding some fresh-squeezed lime juice, it is hard-shaken to bring the best out of the citrus and aerate the combination, and then poured into a Collins glass and filled with Coconut La Croix. The simplicity of this cocktail keeps it light and refreshing, and keeps the sipper out of a harmful hangover’s way.
The bubbly clear cocktail has a lovely coconut gradient at the bottom, and is garnished with a lime slice. The end result is a hydrating elixir with a tasty bitterness, with the potential to be topped with a pomegranate liqueur for a hint of complexity.
“We try to stay on the light, refreshing side with our drinks; keep it on a beachy vibe. We get a little bit of sweet, a little bit of light—a variation of island cocktails,” said longtime bartender Casey Hughes.
“A lot of our patrons out here are on island time, they’re not ever in a hurry. They just want to relax and have a conversation, and us being next to the beach, it’s really easy to just talk to people out here,” says REDS owner, Reanna. “We try and keep beach themed flavors, nice colors and something easy to drink.”
So, as the South Texas winter begins to ease into springtime, drop into Port Aransas’ best-kept secret in the form of this hidden happy hour oasis for a sip and some sunshine.
Contact:
361.749.4653 |
