Pacific Island drink grows in area popularity
By Joe Olivieri
Scott Pingel and Tracy Moreno first encountered the Pacific Island drink kava four years ago on a visit to Florida.
"We tried it for the first time [there]. There was that wow factor. It was an amazing product," Pingel said.
Intrigued, the duo wanted to bring the kava business back to Texas.
"If it was going to work anywhere, it would work in Austin," Pingel said.
Pingel and Moreno opened SquareRt Kava Bar—the first kava bar in the state, they said—in January 2012.
They aimed to combine the relaxed feel of a coffee shop with the social feel of a bar, Pingel said. They painted murals on the walls and stacked books and games on the shelves. SquareRt hosts live music and open mic nights throughout each month.
Pingel said SquareRt draws a variety of people from those "looking to take a break from alcohol" to those seeking kava's relaxing properties.
Kava is a legal product and not addictive, Pingel said. The business self-governs by serving patrons age 18 and older. Younger teenage consumers need to be accompanied by a parent.
SquareRt's most popular offering is called The Program: three 4-ounce servings of kava offered in coconut shells for $10.
Pingel compared the taste to a sharp cedar or a No. 2 pencil.
"By breaking it up into thirds, it helps people out with the flavor profile," he said. "Plus you start achieving the effects in the same way. The first one, you feel your jaw relaxing a little bit. You feel a tingling, a numbing of your lips, tongue and throat.
"After you finish your second one, you feel your shoulders drop. The third tops the body off," he continued.
The Program's effects last for six to eight hours and is not intoxicating, he said. SquareRt also sells 50-ounce growlers of kava for about $75 and refills at discounted prices.
"I would challenge everyone to give it a try—to experience the benefits and relieve the stress and anxiety that we all have with our everyday jobs, whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a lawyer," Moreno said.
"[Consumers are] able to experience the social aspect without the alcohol. You are not going to wake up with a hangover. You are not going to have any regrets because you [will] remember what you did last night. You can still have a good time with a clear mind."
What is kava?
Kava (piper methysticum) is a shrub that grows on South Pacific islands such as Hawaii, according to SquareRt.
"For over 3,000 years kava has been used in the islands for medicinal, religious, political, cultural and social purposes," the business states.
The kava shrub grows up to 6 feet tall, co-owner Tracy Moreno said.
SquareRt imports the milled kava root from Fiji and Vanuatu, co-owner Scott Pingel said.
The kava drink is made by soaking the milled root in water for roughly two days and then squeezing the liquid out of it.
SquareRt recommends consuming no more than 12 ounces of kava in a sitting. Kava is served in a coconut shell at SquareRt.
Pingel recommends consuming kava toward the end of the day in order to relax, but it can be drank at any time.
Expansion
SquareRt has been well-received by the South Austin community and beyond, the owners said.
SquareRt plans to open a second location north of The Triangle at 5000 N. Lamar Blvd. in early fall.
SquareRt Kava Bar, 6000 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 106, 512-382-9293, www.squarerut.com, Twitter: @squarerutx
