By Maggie O’Neill
Photography by Guy Cash Fleming
Certain drinks are famous for how much fun they are to imbibe. Building on that idea, daddy O and her sister establishments, The Plantation and Tuckers, designed new cocktails that are meant to be shared with others and foster camaraderie. Introducing the Fishbowl.
According to Andrew, barista at daddy O, “The new drinks are perfect for enjoying with friends or for the very thirsty. They are vacation mode drinks, lively and entertaining.” Daddy O offers several Fishbowls, each containing a whopping fifty-one ounces of summer brew that serve several people per drink. Andrew is the brainchild behind the recipes. “There are three different variations of the Fishbowl at daddy O. They include the 18 Mile Run, which is rum based, the tequila based Mother of Dragons, and the Shark Bite, a vodka brew.” Andrew said they use only fresh ingredients and make their own purees and infusions. Fresh juices, fruits and other unique ingredients are blended together to create memorable, and very large, cocktails.
The themes are fun and they make a big impact. “We live in a social media world,” Andrew said. “If you don’t want to Instagram your drink, we should not be serving it,” he laughed. Pete, manager at daddy O, said they have been toying with this idea for a few years. “We wanted to do something big and bombastic – something over the top. The visual is the selling point. We have a captive audience at the bar and we wanted to do something that would impress them.” I asked some patrons at the bar to try them and see if the Fishbowls met their goal. The drinks delivered on all points, exactly as planned.
Brian, Janet, Sean, Sandy and Julie
Customers Brian and Janet enjoyed exploring the new libations. Brian opted to try the Shark Bite. It comes with a last minute pour of pomegranate schnapps which slowly sinks into the drink like blood. He said, “The presentation was awesome and the taste was amazing.” His wife Janet was wearing a Life Is Good shirt. When I mentioned it she laughed and said, “Sitting outside on a beautiful day on LBI sipping a fifty-one ounce drink, life is indeed good.” A fellow patron from the bar, Daniele, shared her Fishbowl and enjoyed the communal experience.
Another willing taste tester, Sean, liked the Shark Bite Fishbowl because it came with a gummy shark on the side of the glass. “I like drinks that come with snacks,” she laughed.
Sisters Sandy and Julie, sitting at the bar when Andrew delivered the drinks to us, were intrigued. “The visual presentation caught my eye,” said Sandy. “We wanted to get in on the fun.” That is precisely what the drinks are intended to do; catch your attention and entice you to enjoy the experience. They ordered the Mother of Dragons. Julie appreciated the bold taste of the spicy, jalapeno infused tequila concoction. “It’s like an afternoon version of a Bloody Mary.”
I tried the 18 Mile Run along with the other intrepid tasters. The drink was delicious. But a libation that large is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Fifty-one ounces of any drink cannot be served in a small glass. You need something big, like a fishbowl. The goblets are too heavy to pick up so drinking it requires a different approach. I bent my head down to the straw rather than pick up the glass. If you are a nose breather you have a real advantage when drinking a Fishbowl; just put your face down and sip. Crossing the finish line of the cocktail felt like quite an accomplishment.
The friendly patrons who helped evaluate the new drinks were all in agreement; Fishbowls are a fun and delicious way to share good vacation vibes. On the roof deck of daddy O, they are a perfect accompaniment to LBI sunsets, although the sun will probably go down faster than you can finish your drink. Before this season is over, grab your friends and make it to daddy O, The Plantation or Tuckers for some happy hour diving into a Fishbowl of summer fun.
