Radiant Flower

The place: Fu Kun Wu, 5410 Ballard Ave. N.W., Seattle, 206-706-7807.

Quote : "It's bitter-tart-sweet. It's layers upon layers upon layers." — Perryn Wright, bar manager

The scene: Fu Kun Wu could use a smoke machine.

Ballard already disappears once you're inside the pharmaceutical-themed bar attached to popular restaurant Thaiku. Mist would add a finishing touch to a place with medicinal drink ingredients verging on unpronounceable, a one-drink limit for certain potent cocktails (really) and numerous apothecary drawers just begging to be opened.

Focus, people.

The Radiant Flower sounds like a girl drink. It promises to aid digestion and circulation. It "quiets the spirit and calms the heart." It comes with a sugared rim.

The cocktail's complex layers has both male and female fans, said bar manager Perryn Wright, though "it takes a certain kind of man to walk up and order a Radiant Flower."

Be thankful for the sugar. It tempers the medicinal, almost bitter bite of schisandra berry and white peony root-infused gin made at the bar. Mint adds another subtle element, and simple syrup helps the drink go down a little easier. So do the delicious goodies from the happy-hour menu.

We're giving you the recipe. We make no promises.

Radiant Flower

- ½ ounce simple syrup

- ¼ ounce fresh lemon juice

- 1 large mint leaf

- Sugar

Dip rim of cocktail glass in sugar. Combine rest of ingredients in shaker filled with ice, shake then strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with mint.

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com