As part of the recent Tampa Bay Start-Up week festivities the clever people at Roux Tampa  got together to create three unique and distinctive drinks for #TBSW16 

Taste of 813 | Driving Miss Daisy to Break The Rouxles

Wednesday night's Tidal Boar Ginger Beer Signature Cocktail Tasting, sponsored in part by @nhietampa was a popular evening at Tampa Bay Start-Up Week.  Setting up their display Roux skillfully mixed three drinks using Tidal Boar Ginger Beer for attendees, asking recipients of their artfully crafted aromatic blends which one they liked best!  The winner, "Driving Miss Daisy" !  A wonderful mixture of Bourbon, Dolin Dry, Chamomile, Tidal Boar Ginger Beer and Lemon.

Roux invited us to try their winning drink and to share this clean-tasting, flavorful recipe with our readers! Yup, they #BreaktheRouxles at Roux!  Normally bars will share WHAT is in a drink, but not the exact amounts.  Obviously they would like you to come into Roux to order a 'Driving Miss Daisy', but living up to their reputation as one of the most 'neighborly bars' in Tampa, they are sharing HOW to make the drink with you:
 

  • 1.5 oz Old Forester Bourbon
  • .5 oz Dolin Dry
  • .5 oz PMK Chamomile Syrup
  • .5 oz lemon juice
  •  1 oz Tidal Boar Ginger Beer

Shake the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Pour into a Highball glass filled with ice.
Top with Tidal Boar Ginger Beer and garnish with a bright slice of lemon stuck in the center with a sprig of mint.

When we stopped by Roux, located on South Mac Dill Avenue, the bar was packed and lively, grabbing one of their big, comfy bar stools we excitedly ordered 2 Driving Miss Daisy's and Crabmeat Beignets from their 1/2 price Happy Hour Menu.


photo by Robert Azmitia @ www.myothercitybythebay.com

The drink arrived almost too pretty to consume but we managed to break the spell, happily sipping at what is one of the BEST drinks we have tasted!  

They had us at first sip!

Pure heaven in a glass. Driving Miss Daisy is perfect for the beach or a warm day, you can not sense the alcohol in this drink, the hallmark of a well mixed cocktail; we enjoyed every delicious drop.  The Crabmeat Beignets arrived, soft, warm, floating on a combination garlic aoili as we ordered another drink.

After the second drink we understood the NAME for this drink!  Driving Miss Daisy will sneak up on you if you are not careful, so be sure to arrange for a driver if you are going out!

If you go to Roux to enjoy one made by their expert Mixologists go soon!  Driving Miss Daisy will not be on the Roux drink menu for long! (PS.  We begged Roux to make DMD a permanent option, feel free to join our campaign if you agree!)  
 

Promise: This drink is like nothing you have had before!

There are times you simply should not #BreakTheRouxles! Drinking and driving is one you DO NOT want to break.

Arrange for a drive over to Roux at happy hour and plan to stay for dinner, their Snapper Oscar is yummy!

Check out Roux's creative Creole Nouvelle dinner menu!

Let us know what you think, if you made it yourself or stopped by for 1/2 price Happy Hour at Roux, we enjoy reading your comments and knowing your thoughts about everything in the 813!

If you enjoyed this article click to read more about local  Tampa Bars, and Restaurants.