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A showdown like never before is in the works for the South Shore next month.
TJ Finley’s Public House in Bay Shore will be hosting a first-of-its kind charity cocktail competition called the South Shore Shakedown. The date is Thursday, Feb. 1.
The event will feature eight bars/restaurants from Bay Shore, Babylon and Patchogue all battling for the bragging rights of Best Drink (and this trophy).
“This is all about the taste,” said Drew Dvorkin, the event’s organizer and co-owner of TJ Finley’s.
Dvorkin is bringing in liquor, beer, and food experts to judge the competition.
The event, which runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., will allow competitors to pick between bourbon, tequila, and vodka for their cocktail — it will be supplied by the event’s sponsor, Pernod Ricard USA.
The rest of the recipe is up to them. The bartenders will each be given an hour to concoct, with four going at a time.
Expect the drinks to be tasty, and the competition fierce, says John Peragine, whose restaurant PeraBell Food Bar will be participating.
“We’re all friendly, so ribbing each other is the best part of events like this,” he said.
There will be two prizes at the Shakedown, one decided by the aforementioned judges, and one picked by the popular vote.
Tickets for the event are on sale online for $20, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Gavin’s Got Heart foundation, which raises money for children affected by congenital heart defects.
“It is a charity that doesn’t always get the recognition that it needs and we are trying to support those families,” said Dvorkin.
In addition to helping raising money for charity, Dvorkin says this is a great opportunity for exposure for Bay Shore.
“[The Shakedown] is going to highlight what is going on in Bay Shore; there has been a renaissance of sorts here,” he said. “We are super excited to be making Bay Shore a destination again.”
Photo by Helena Yankovska on Unsplash
the competitors
Here is the list of those competing in the first annual South Shore Shakedown:
From Bay Shore:
- The Cortland
- TJ Finley’s Public House
- Verde Kitchen and Cocktails
- Coastal Kitchen and Daiquiri Bar
- Tullulahs
- Fatwood Southern Kitchen
From Babylon:
From Patchogue:
Top: First place prize from the judges’ choice. (courtesy)
