Step inside the cool confines of Mothership and embark on a cosmic off-world adventure into interplanetary travel, in which the intrepid crew of a futuristic starship crash lands on a forbidden planet; forced to make do, they set up camp in this strange new world that just so happens to have abundant amounts of alcohol and fresh produce from which the team is able whip up fantastical, over-the-top tropical cocktails and creative, globally-minded vegan food.
This elaborate origin story serves as introduction to an immersive new South Park bar that officially opens on Tuesday, August 2. Mothership is the second project from Kindred owner Kory Stetina, in partnership with CH Projects co-founder Arsalun Tafazoli. Designed and built by Ignacio “Notch” Gonzalez of Top Notch Kustoms (SF’s Whitechapel and Smuggler’s Cove), the 30th Street space has been transformed into a dark and mysterious cave where a canopy of stars and color-changing lights, aka “alien fruit pods”, hang over the dining room and drinks are mixed at a bar fashioned from the battered remnants of a downed shuttlecraft.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906928/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_31.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906939/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_17.jpg)
Spawned from Kindred’s weekly pop-up called Permanent Vacation, Mothership’s drinks were created by beverage director David Kinsey and bar manager Juan Castañeda. Labeled by potency, from “cruising speed” to “ludicrous speed”, they include the Mindkiller, an interpretation of a Painkiller topped with a float of neon orange cordial made from Tang, and the Warbird, a riff on the tiki classic Jungle Bird with blackstrap rum, pomegranate, blood orange, and caramelized pineapple. A custom-made gin from You & Yours Distilling Co. with notes of citrus, cinnamon, and cloves spikes their version of the Saturn and the Dive Simulation, a take on a Pearl Diver, veganizes the sweet, buttery gardenia mix with cultured cashew butter.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906956/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_9.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906947/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_24.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906959/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_12.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906933/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_36.jpg)
Though the bar area will welcome walk-ins, guests wanting to sit in the main dining room will need to make reservations (available soon) for 90-minute sessions. Mothership’s offerings extend to include a handful of vegan plates from Kindred head chef Dylan Craver. Fusing global flavors into a futuristic cuisine they’ve dubbed “earth food”, there’s Korean rice cakes in a Peruvian green sauce, potato cakes with kimchi cream cheese, and a savory Japanese pancake topped with sauerkraut. An extra dish will be featured each season: summertime brings DIY lettuce wraps while fall will usher in tempura squash doughnuts.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906963/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_20.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906972/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_6.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906987/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_28.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23906993/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_44.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23907000/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_18.jpg)
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23907006/Mothership_KimberlyMotos_40.jpg)
Mothership, 2310 30th Street, South Park. Monday through Friday 4:30 p.m. to midnight, Saturday and Sunday 2:30 p.m. to midnight. Kitchen closes at 9 p.m.