P.F. Chang's Absolute Best Cocktail Is Perfect For Summertime Sipping

Roll up to P.F. Chang's on a warm summer's day, and you'll have a list of cocktails to choose from as you strive to beat the heat. Though the restaurant chain may be better known for its firecracker shrimp bowl, ma po tofu, and banana spring rolls, the beverage menu is equally mouth-watering. As we set out to try over a dozen of the cocktails, one drink in particular rose to the top of our list. 

P.F. Chang's cherry blossom martini was originally placed on the menu as a seasonal special, returning most recently earlier this year around the Valentine's Day holiday and hanging on through spring and summer. The pretty rose color of the drink advertises that your day is about to improve significantly before the glass reaches your lips. Upon first sip, the sugar rim gives way to a balanced cocktail that is just the right amount of flavor that doesn't offend with cloying sweetness or pucker-inducing tartness. Think of a cool glass of strawberry lemonade made boozy for your adult palate. 

Made with a mix of Hendrick's gin, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, strawberry puree, lychee syrup, lemon, and pineapple juice, the concoction is poured neatly into a glass that has been lined with sugar crystals. The result is a juicy, fruity beverage that goes down easily, particularly during the hottest months of the year. A cute garnish made with speared Luxardo maraschino cherries finishes this drink order, and we are left with no notes.

While you can certainly try to replicate this drink of beauty for yourself at home, the simple pleasure of settling into a seat and letting the cocktails come to you, no clean up required, is one of the great pleasures available on a sweltering summer's day. Should you want to sample some of the other cocktails on P.F. Chang's menu, the pink lotus cosmo and the Asian pear mojito also deserve solid consideration. For teetotalers in your group, refreshers like the peach boba breeze or strawberry cucumber limeade can offer equally tasty non-alcoholic alternatives to help distract from soaring temperatures outside.