I t may be the originator of hand-tossed , stone-baked southern pizza but Mellow Mushroom is about so much more than the pie . Mellow is “ a state of mind , a culture , a way of being ,” according to the casual restaurant chain ’ s food philosophy . And to better fulfill its mission to provide delicious food in a fun and creative environment , Mellow Mushroom rolled out a new beverage program this past spring and hired a new beverage director this summer .
The restaurant brand typically updates its program annually , says Nick Arenas , who joined as director of beverage this past August . Mellow Mushroom will request proposals from the supply partner community , evaluate the proposed items against its goals , test each and every item and then launch each program in May .
“ This enables us to stay on trend , be trendy when and where necessary , but also keep our offerings in place long enough to get an accurate read on its effect on our business and , most importantly , our guests ,” Arenas says .
Arenas , whose beverage experience includes stints at Levy Restaurants , Logan ’ s Roadhouse and William Grant & Sons , oversees the Mellow Mushroom program with Kynyetta Lester , associate director of beverage . Lester has been the company for more than 10 years , serving in the operations and beverage departments , and previously worked as part of the training team for Hooters .
The new Pineapple Express , with pineapple , coconut , turmeric spice and agave sour , is available without alcohol or spiked with Flor de Caña seven-year-aged rum for an additional charge .
The Mystic Margarita selections enable guests to experience different tequila expressions .
MAGICAL MARGS AND MORE Mellow Mushroom ’ s new beverage menu offers a selection of updated sangrias , wines , “ Liquid Karma ” cocktails and signature Mystic Margaritas . The Liquid Karma cocktail category includes several popular signature sips , such as the Sunset in Paradise ( with Bacardi Superior rum , coconut , pineapple , pomegranate and fresh sour ); Golden Goose ( Grey Goose vodka , fresh lemon , pineapple , turmeric and Fever Tree ginger beer ); and the Peach Buzz ( Jameson Irish whiskey , peach and fresh lime ).
The Lemon Submarine , with Woodford Reserve bourbon , St . Germain elderflower liqueur , freshly brewed iced tea , rosemary and fresh sour mix , is a new addition to the lineup . So is Mule the World , which builds on the classic Mule recipe . With Fever-Tree ginger beer and house-made lime syrup , guests can select from their choice of premium spirits , including Ketel One vodka , Don Julio Blanco tequila , Bulleit Frontier bourbon , Crown Royal Canadian whisky , or Captain Morgan spiced rum .
The Mystic Margaritas section of the menu highlights the best-selling RB Margarita ( made with Casamigos blanco tequila , Bauchant orange liqueur , house agave sour ), the Made Wild Margarita version ( with Casamigos reposado tequila ) and the Gone Feral Margarita ( Casamigos anejo tequila ). The selections give guests the opportunity to experience different tequila expressions .
The Campfire Peach Margarita , brought back in June by popular demand , gets its smoky flavor comes from the combination of Casamigos blanco tequila and Casamigos
Mule the World builds on the classic Mule recipe and lets guests select from their choice of premium spirits .
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