Guests at Taste of Pasadena enjoyed great food from local restaurants and voted for their favorites in a live taste-off to conclude of SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge

More than 300 votes were tallied for the SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge Finale and The Ish from Sushi Roku emerged the favorite at the Taste of Pasadena at the Rose Bowl on September 28th. Presented by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce as part of the Taste of Pasadena at the Rose Bowl, and the culmination of a six-week cocktail competition, the live cocktail taste-off brought Sushi Roku to face Bar 1886 at the Raymond, Bistro 45 and White Horse Lounge. This is the first appearance in the SIP-tember Finale and first win for Sushi Roku.

Voters at the 2017 Taste of Pasadena at the Rose Bowl voted The Ish their favorite drink by a very narrow

Sushi Roku Team
The team from Sushi Roku Pasadena prepared 'The Ish', Pasadena's Cocktail of the Year 2017.
margin. Sushi Roku’s The Ish is a local favorite concocted from Grey Goose Vodka, shishito peppers, cynar, passion fruit, L’Orgeat and lemon juice, garnished with a whole Shishito Pepper.

The other SIP-tember Finale competition drinks were:

  • The White Horse Lounge No Problemo made from Ford’s Gin, Ancho Reyes, Green Chartreuse, lime juice, Peychaud’s Bitters and candied jalapeño).
  • The Bistro 45 Vieux Carre which featured Old Overholt Rye, sweet vermouth, VS Cognac, Benedictine, Angostura & Peychaud’s bitters.
  • Bar 1886 at the Raymond’s The Quagmire by Luis Nava, a stirred Old Fashioned with Larceny Bourbon, house made fig syrup and Tiki Bitters.

 

This was our closest competition yet, with only ten votes separating the winning drink from the fourth-place finisher. We are delighted at the level of competition and the quality of the drinks in the SIP-tember Cocktail Bracket Challenge Finale. We are also very grateful and pleased with the hundreds of people who turned out for the Taste of Pasadena.

The Taste of Pasadena also featured food samplings from some of the Pasadena’s area’s favorite

All india Cafe at the Taste of Pasadena
All India Cafe provided samples of South Asian cuisine at the Taste of Pasadena.
restaurants. 400 guests enjoyed food and drink from many Pasadena favorites, including Cabrera's Restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen, Clearman’s Galley, El Cholo, Juan’s Rotisserie Chicken, Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Old Oak Cellars, Paradis Ice Cream, Pasadena Sandwich Company, Pizza Rev, Stark Spirits, Stonefire Grill, Sushi Roku and White Horse Lounge.

In addition to the great food offerings and the SIP-tember Cocktails, Old Oak Cellars was tasting some of their latest vintage and Stark Spirits Distillery was giving samples of their rum, whiskey and more. El Cholo teamed with Patron to offer tastes of a signature margarita. Pizza Rev tapped a keg and provided beer to those patrons over 21 years of age. Cabrerra’s Mexican Restaurant offered margaritas along with their delicious fare.

A select few commercial exhibitors included Eagle Star Security, My Jurny and Juize, Inc. My Jurny created a special mobile app for the event.

Entertainment was provided by Dance Syndicate, whose DJ John had the crowd dancing all evening.

Those in attendance included Pasadena Chamber Board Chair Robin McCarthy of Ste. Marie Specialists, Chamber Board Secretary Valerie Prince of Pacific Commerce Bank and Chamber Board members Bernardo Godoy of Cabrerra’s, Alex Montes of California Pizza Kitchen, Michael D’Antuono of IUOE Local 12 and Eric Duyshardt of the City of Pasadena.

Gold Sponsors of SIP-tember and the Taste of Pasadena are The City of Pasadena and Wells Fargo.

The Rose Bowl Stadium generously hosted the Taste of Pasadena. SIP-tember and the Taste of Pasadena are Pasadena Restaurant Week events presented by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and our restaurant and lounge members.