The original Moscow Mule put a Smirnoff Vodka and copper mug surplus to good use in 1941 at Hollywood’s Cock ‘N Bull. Kenny Arbuckle’s mule motivations were less about efficiency and more about flavor. Kenny Arbuckle is the bar director at Cassia, a modern Asian brasserie from Chef Bryant Ng, Kim Luu Ng, Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan Loeb.

I used to see Arbuckle drinking Craftsman beer and eating dinner at The Spice Table, the late great Little Tokyo restaurant from Bryant Ng and Kim Luu-Ng. Cassia’s bar is about three times the size of The Spice Table and even more ambitious. Arbuckle finds inspiration in the nearby Santa Monica Farmers Market. Chef Ng’s nuanced cooking also motivates him. His Banana Mule doesn’t contain vodka and doesn’t come in a copper mug, but still has kick. He features banana infused gin, galangal-ginger-lemongrass syrup, mint, and lime in a Collins glass.

Arbuckle starts by infusing Beefeater London dry gin with banana. He opted for that gin since the spirit’s “bright botanicals” balance the fruit’s savory notes and can still shine through the cocktail’s other ingredients. Arbuckle added, “The spice from the ginger is given depth by the addition of galangal and lemongrass… High notes from the gin and the mint round it out. It’s got bigger body than a typical mule, and is a great cocktail with the food, as it reflects on the spiciness of some of the menu items, but is refreshing at the same time.” The Banana Mule’s flavor also lingers, which in this case is welcome.