Located in the Uptown neighborhood, Parallel 17 is a French Vietnamese bistro from chef-owner Mary Nguyen, who melds the foods of her heritage with modern cooking methods to create a truly unique dining experience. A mostly-vegetable-based cuisine that often uses broth instead of oil, Vietnamese food is relatively healthy, a quality also found in P17’s cocktails. P17’s cocktails are not only refreshing, but maybe — just maybe — could even be considered good for you.

A perfect example is signature cocktail the Sake Cavitini. Made with Snow Maiden Nigori sake, cucumber water, muddled basil, basil seeds and Champagne, the drink is full of health benefits. Sake is said to contain the highest amounts of antioxidants of any alcohol. Cucumber promotes joint health, relieves arthritis pain and contains vitamins A, B and C as well as minerals like magnesium, silica and potassium, which are all essential to skin care. Basil seeds aid in digestion and can provide relief for colds and fever — they contain tulsi, which is an ingredient in cough syrups. Even the Champagne has something good — it's stocked with high levels of polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to defend nerve cells from injury. The Sake Cavitini comes in at only 190 calories. We’ll take two!

Another healthy sip is the Bluegrass Julep, which is made with Chamomile-infused whiskey, fresh mint and simple syrup. Chamomile is well known for its relaxant properties — it contains glycine, which relaxes muscles, and also hippurate, which is a botanical that fights bacterial infection. Mint has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries and is known to help control pain and stomach irritation. The drink is an appealing mix of tangy and sweet with just a hint of smoke from the whiskey.

Finishing our healthful outing is the Blueberry Mojito. Blueberries contain the highest amount of antioxidants of any fruit, and antioxidants help fight diseases such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease and help prevent vision loss. Limes contain vitamin C and have the highest concentration of disease-fighting compounds called limonoids of all citrus fruits. The blueberry-infused rum gives the cocktail a beautiful dark berry color and the taste goes back and forth between the piquant mint and the sweet blueberry.

Parallel 17 also has a variety of other house-infused spirits at the bar, including a lemon vodka and a vodka with pomelo, a type of grapefruit from Southeast Asia.

Happy hour at Parallel 17 takes place 3–6 PM, Tuesday–Sunday and all night on Monday, and features $5 cocktails, $4 house wines and $3 drafts along with specially priced small plates. On the healthy tip, we recommend the white asparagus flatbread — aparagus is loaded with folate, which is good for brain health, and contains glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps rid the body of toxins. All in all, Parallel 17 is a delicious way to stay in good health.

1600 E. 17th Ave.; 303-399-0988

Photos by Carrie Dow