Juliana Sofia, a Prickly Pear Stunner at Pasión

Tamara Palmer

​Open nearly three months in the Inner Sunset, Pasión (which bills its offerings "modern Latin cuisine") already has the kind of bustle most restaurants dream of. It's a place where "Happy Birthday" is sung at multiple tables on any given night, and where an amuse bouche means absinthe-spiked Jell-O shots. Distinctly original cocktails are being shaken up at the bar, such as the signature Juliana Sofia. Herradura Silver tequila and St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) provide the intoxicants, while a blend of simple syrup, lime juice, and prickly pear puree (which turns the drink a brilliant pink) help it all go down smoothly. The floral notes of the St. Germain meld wonderfully with the tang of the prickly pear, and the tequila? Well, the tequila might challenge you to remember the words to "Happy Birthday."

Pasión: 737 Irving (at Ninth Ave.), 742-5727.