#MexicAsian Monday’s at Kanpai Snack Bar with Jarritos Cocktails

If you haven’t been to Kanpai Snack Bar located at 252 Carlton St. downtown Toronto, you got to go! Chef Trevor Lui of Kanpai Snack Bar and La Brea Food makes the best Taiwanese fried chicken (TFC) and delicious Taiwanese street food at Kanpai! With old school hip hop playing, an open kitchen, and a large bar…the vibe is kick-ass!

If that wasn’t enough to get you there, #MexicAsian Monday’s will be happening at Kanpai Snack Bar. La Brea Food is popping up on the last Monday of May (29th), June (26th) and July (31st) 2017 where an exclusive menu will be created with a mash up of Mexican and Taiwanese flavours paired with Jarritos cocktails. At the end of my post, I will provide you with a refreshing Jarritos slushy recipe that you can make at home!

Earlier this week, I attended a media event to experience the pop-up event and learn about the history of Jarritos. The Mexican soft drink started in 1950 and is made with natural sugar and flavours. The popular drink with 12 fruit flavours is growing internationally and has made its way into Canada. The original Jarritos fruit flavour was “Mandarin”, and according to Trevor Lui, “What a coincidence that Mandarin was the first flavour. Get it? Mandarin and Taiwan.” I’d say this collaboration was definitely meant to be!

Check out some of the delicious eats and the featured cocktail at the event:

The pop-up menu!

Pork Bone Pozole With Ramen– I loved Chef Lui’s mom’s version of bone broth which was hearty and satisfying, with toppings such as radishes, lime and chili flakes.

Tinga De Pollo Bao Torta-Flavourful pulled chicken in a soft bao to soak in all the sauce. This was my favourite dish of the evening!

Jalapeno Pork Wontons with Chicharron Dust-They were juicy sweet wontons.

Churros with Nori and Sugar Dust with a Condense Milk Dipping Sauce-We ended the evening with this wicked dessert. The salty nori was a great and needed balance to the sweet dessert.

The featured cocktail for the evening was called Barrio Chino made with the lime Jarritos, tequila, Japanese sochu, lime juice, and chili syrup.

For more information check out:

Kanpai Snack Bar: http://www.kanpaisnackbar.com/
La Brea Food: https://www.facebook.com/LaBreaFoodTo/
Jarritos: https://jarritos.ca/en/

#MexicAsian, #JarritosCa #LaBreafoodTO

Jarritos Lime and Watermelon Slush Recipe: 

As promised, here is a refreshing recipe that will wow your taste buds! I have used the lime Jarritos flavour, but feel free to change things up. 

Ingredients:

Makes 1 large cup

2 cups of frozen watermelon
1 cup of ice
1/2 bottle of lime Jarritos (175 ml)
1 to 2 ounces of vodka
Shredded basil leaves (optional)
Lemon or lime for garnish (optional)

Steps: Mix the watermelon, ice, lime Jarritos, and vodka in a blender. Blend, add to a cup and serve immediately

You can also make them into little shooters! I am sure you and your guest will love this recipe.

I have tried over 5 flavours from guava, pineapple, mango, tamarind, and lime and loved them all. I am a big fan of the Jarritos softdrinks as they are fizzy, not overly sweet and refreshing.

Jarritos can be found at the most of the Latin American grocery stores at Toronto’s Kensington Market, as well as many grocery stores across Toronto including Sobey’s, Bulk Barn, and Freshco. I am going to pile up and so should you.

Definitely check out the La Brea Food pop-up at Kanpai Snack Bar, and enjoy the exclusive menu with Jarritos cocktails!

*Disclosure: This was a sponsored post. The food and drinks were also complimentary at the event. As always, the opinions in the post are my own.