The weekend may be over, but who says you can’t grab yourself a cocktail?
At The Weekend, Jan Rodriguez comes up with liquid concoctions that are among the best in the city. He’s experimented with different liquors and spirits, and is constantly learning how to elevate his bar menu into an experience worth remembering.
“Most cocktails are too acidic, too sweet or too alcohol-forward,” Jan says as he prepares his ingredients, and I can’t help but agree.
Admittedly, I’m not into drinking cocktails for those reasons. I lamented the fact that I had yet to try a cocktail that made me nod my head in approval at the taste—until I got to try some of the cocktails from The Weekend. Believe me, I was nodding my head the whole time!
Tomaso Margarita
This cocktail is a riff of the classic Tommy’s margarita, which was created in the early 1990s and named after Julio Bermejo’s Mexican family restaurant, Tommy’s.

The Weekend reimagines this classic with a trio of agave tequila, agave syrup and lime juice, taken further with a splash of grand marnier that adds an orange flavour. Jan elevates it by rimming the glass with their in-house orange tajin, a Mexican spice made of chili powder, chili flakes, salt, and orange zest. It’s spicy, savoury and tangy, making it a great complement to the cocktail.
Por Vida
While the name of this cocktail strikes a funny chord in my mind, it’s anything but a joke. What’s interesting about this cocktail is that it incorporates horchata, a Mexican rice-based drink that’s milky and sweet on its own, but has the potential to make dangerously delicious drinks.

The horchata tempers the burn of high-proof spirits. Its naturally sweet nature negates the need for sugar or syrupy mixers. With a smoky mezcal as a base, agave tequila, lime and a few dashes of xocolati bitters, it’s a drink that”s full of subtle yet clear flavours. Por vida, this is a good drink.
Hacienda Swizzle
This cocktail’s key point is the frost that covers the outside of the glass. It’s made by a swizzle stick that is spun rapidly between the hands inside the cold cocktail. The action creates a thick layer of frost on the outside of a glass—the sign of a perfect swizzle.

This cocktail uses Bacardi 8 as a base, mixed with lime and orgeat (an almond syrup). It’s sweetened with muscovado syrup, a local ingredient. Swizzle away!
Isle of Vita
This drink’s name translates to the “isle of life”, and it definitely gave me life when I took my first sip. Best described as a gin and tonic, it’s a sophisticated, no-nonsense cocktail that’s perfect after a day’s worth of work.

What makes this cocktail taste like you’ve swallowed the epitome of smoothness is its base, Mombasa gin. Cardamom bitters, dried grapefruit and juniper berries are added and of course, the tonic water. It goes down so easily, you’re bound to be asking the bartender for another one (or two).
The Weekend is located at No. 8, G/F, The Greenery, Pope John Paul II Ave, Cebu City, 6000
Open from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM Sundays to Thursdays, and 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM Fridays and Saturdays
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