The talented trio behind Komodo Loco are so eagerly anticipating their full opening, they decided to sneak in a soft opening of the bar during Oaktopia and have continued it since. On Friday and Saturday nights you can saddle up to the bar for a cool crisp sake or one of their refreshing hand crafted cocktails.

They gave us a tour of their current sake options. Taking pride in the simplest notes that come from each sip of sake, whether it be unfiltered, cloudy and sweet or filtered, light and crisp. They doled out the knowledge on each type, explaining the subtle differences between each one. As a dedicated hot sake drinker, I was blown away by the flavor profiles in the cold sakes, how the alcohol is so carefully hidden between floral and citrus tones, and the wide selection that lines the walls.

The attention to detail in the cocktail list is apparent in the smooth sips from each one, the subtle hints of deeply layered flavors. The Ginger Cucumber Sangria combines sake, ginger, and cucumber, and then topped with sparkling sake creating a crisp refreshing drink that will cut through the heat of the hottest bowl of ramen.

The Komodo Fashioned is my personal favorite, and your taste buds will thank you afterward. Mixing Nikki Pure Malt, a Japanese whiskey, angostura bitters, orange bitters, sweetened and garnished with Luxardo maraschino cherries. The Komodo Fashioned is smooth and flavorful and will be the perfect drink to warm you up once cooler temps finally move in. The Kyoto Sour is a combination of Sake, Dickel Rye, fresh muddled orange, agave nectar, lemon, and green Tabasco, the subtle heat  of this sour sneaks up on the back end and perfectly compliments the citrus. Each of these cocktails offers a new and surprising variation of the classics and leaves us eagerly anticipating the full menu offerings that put their own unique spin on your typical ramen and noodle dishes.

The atmosphere of Komodo is open, breezy, and they have turned the deck into an intimate space where one can seek cover from the hustle and bustle with a bowl of ramen and a good sake cocktail from the hands of their talented staff. Komodo Loco is eagerly awaiting to offer the tastebuds of Denton something new and refreshing, keep up with them on Facebook (@komodoloco109) to get all the updates on their highly anticipated opening.

Photos by Brian Doore
Header image design by Sara Button