Candy cocktails

Red Vine's Lemonade | Pop Lounge

This one’s for you West Coast transplants: L.A. native and Pop Lounge manager Michael Marinoff soaked Red Vine twists—a red licorice similar to Twizzlers that’s considered the original Hollywood movie candy—in Level vodka for three days to infuse the vodka with its characteristic red color and saccharine cherry flavor. When combined with “lemonade” made from three lemons, sugar and soda water muddled together with limoncello, it makes for a zesty pink lemonade with a sweet lemon scent and a bitter walk off. “As a kid, my sister and I would go to the movies with our parents and use Red Vines instead of straws in cokes,” says Marinoff of his inspiration. As such, the cocktail is meant to be sipped in exactly this manner, making it a fun childhood throwback. ($15) 
 
Candy credibility: 4 stars. Considering that the cocktail is largely made of straight alcohol, it’s impressive that you can hardly detect it through the sweet, zesty lemon flavor. Still, the bitter limoncello dominates toward the end; those opposed to the lemon liqueur’s acerbic taste would fare better with a straight shot of Red Vine vodka. 
 
Pop Lounge at Pop Burger (14 E. 58th St., 212-991-6644)