Cow Hollow izakaya Chotto features a take on Kirin Chu-Hi, a canned, shochu-and-juice-based alcoholic soda sold in Japan. The restaurant's version, called Chu-Hai, is available in lime-ginger, orange, grapefruit, and apple flavors, all made with fresh juices and plain or ginger soda. We enjoyed the sweet-tart buzz of the lime-ginger, which didn't exactly invite pacing. Chu-Hai isn't quite Four Loko, but it's still got a noticeable effect if you down one too fast.
Chotto: 3317 Steiner (at Lombard), 441-2223.
