Minnesota Palate, August/September 2004

Something's fishy about these cocktails

By Kelly Westhoff

Perhaps a trip up north for the fishing opener isn't your style. If so, troll on down to Tiburón Caribbean Bistro for a night of urban fishing. There you will find an impressive 45-foot aquarium bejeweled with tropical fish. The tank winds its way through the restaurant, separating the dining area from the bar. Its 3,500 gallons of water are a soothing sound barrier. Luckily, the tank's fish have no predators to fear—a twist considering that Tiburón means shark in Spanish.

While the fish are pretty, the drinks served at the bar are equally eye-catching. Order an H2O and you won't get a glass of water. You'll be served, instead, a martini glass filled with a vibrant, lagoon-green cocktail and a wedge of pineapple. The pineapple is deceiving. It makes the cocktail look like a fruity, umbrella drink, which is certainly is not. It is crisp and refreshing, and I could easily have enjoyed more than one.

But two H2Os wouldn't have allowed room for a Billy Ocean, and that would definitely be a shame. A Billy Ocean arrives looking just like an ocean sunrise. It is blue on the top and red on the bottom. A mixture of lemonade, blue raspberry vodka and lemon lime soda, it tastes simply fresh.

Maybe you've brought an out-of-town friend along on this fishing trip. Order a Minneapolis postcard: the Minneapple. Tiburón's Minneapple is an appletini with a spoon and cherry on top. The rim has been dipped in cinnamon and sugar, and the liquid tastes like a tart green apple. The combination is reminiscent of apple-crisp. End result? The Minneapple is so tasty that even if you are a local, you'll want to give the drink a try.

If you really feel you just can't leave without a fish, order a Puffer Shot. A strong mix of rums, blue Curacao and orange juice will be brought to you in a bathtub toy. The toy is, of course, a cute, little, plastic fish, and the shot is inside. To drink it you must suck the shot out of the fish's mouth. There is a reward for all your hard work, however. Finish the shot and you get to keep the fish!

If you go

Where

Tiburón
1201 Harmon Place ; Minneapolis
Corner of 12th Street and Harmon Place
612-604-0585
www.tiburonbistro.com

Hours

Sun.–Wed. 5 p.m.–midnight
Thurs. 4 p.m.–1 a.m.
Fri.–Sat. 4 p.m.–2 a.m.

Parking

Meters on street
Valet parking on 12th Street

Drinks to Try:

H2O
Billy Ocean
The Minneapple
Puffer Shot

back to top