It's not enough that Mango Moon wanted to be known as the Manayunk restaurant with a plethora of food combinations.

Now, the eatery specializing in Asian fusion cuisine is calling on customers to help them develop one-of-a-kind drink creations to pair with their dishes.

Dubbed an "infusion competition," the process will involve mixing different liquors with fruits, spices and other ingredients to come up with a unique glass of spirits.

Winning creations won't be judged until later this fall, but the restaurant is now accepting applications from those who would like to try their hand.

Traditionally, vodka has been the booze of choice when it came to infused cocktails, but Mango Moon is trying to make things more interesting by outlawing that particular liquor.

"Mostly, people do vodka because it's such a neutral spirit in that it takes on the flavor" of other elements, said restaurant manager Solena Diep.

The idea for the contest actually originated with the staff's desire to serve up their own infused spirits, a concept dating back to the restaurant's inception.

While owner and chef Moon Krapugthong isn't a big drinker, she always enjoyed mixing and matching different ingredients to come up with tasty culinary creations. She figured offering special spirits to go along with the small-plate dishes, or tapas, served at the restaurant would be a sure-fire draw for curious diners.

"For me, to see this, I think it's such a unique experience," Krapugthong said during an interview last week at Mango Moon, located at 4161 Main St. "But for them, to do experimental infusions, it's just so unlimited."

Employees, such as manager Diep, and bartender Mike Burleigh, have already concocted their own infused spirits. The fun part of the process, aside from using creative ingredients, has been getting customers to name the new drinks. The person who chooses the winning name will be able to stop in and drink the creation for free - anytime. The caveat, though, is that they must bring a group of friends.

The three that have been named so far are Jack the Sipper, which is bourbon infused with black grass jelly, offering an almost southern sweet tea taste; The Green Lantern, which is gin infused with Guava, a sweet fruit; and Sex Panther, which is tequila infused with Thai chilies, Kosher salt and Asian hot sauce.

There are more Mango Moon-made infusions, such as the gin infused with ginger, Irish whiskey and honey, but so far these recipes remain unnamed.

Burleigh, who said he's been having fun coming up with new infusion recipes, said the competition will attract novices and seasoned mixologists alike.

"I actually think that people will come up with some cool stuff," he said. "It's something you just toy around with. It's not rocket science."

And Burleigh agreed with Diep that it would be more fun to keep vodka, the traditional liquor used in infused cocktails, out of the mix.

"Vodka's easy because it just absorbs the flavor," he said.

Diep said the idea of using other liquors, such as gin, whiskey, and even tequila, makes the process more challenging.

"I think the cool thing is we're not trying to mask the flavor of the spirit itself," she said.

Krapugthong views this as giving customers a way to enjoy their nights out by doing something hands-on.

"To me, it's such a great, creative process," she said. "Bring people in, and have fun."

Krapugthong sees cooking as an art form, and while she spends her days coming up with new food combinations, she's glad some on her staff are taking to the beverage side of things. In Thailand, she said, pairing food and drink is a big part of the culture.

Diep said while the competition started out as a mere naming contest for Mango Moon's infusions, staff soon realized it could have more potential.

"We realized people like to be hands-on," she said. "Why not make it into something bigger?"

Diep was also encouraged by the fact that the pre-made infusion liquors found on liquor store shelves are not always as good as one might think. After tasting such drinks, Diep said, "I thought, I can make it better."

After the contest ends, they hope to line the business with the jars of new infusions, incorporating them into the atmosphere.

Interested customers can pay a $10 fee to participate, which gets them a jar in which the liquor will be infused.

Guests who attend the Oct. 22 competition will be able to sample the infusions, (for $5 a head), and vote on a fan favorite. The winner will receive $100 and a gift basket.

Then there will be a grand prize, ($500 and a gift basket worth up to $200), which will be handed out by a panel of local bartenders serving as judges.

The deadline to enter the contest is Oct. 8. All participants must be available to attend the day of judging.

The restaurant will either sell off or give away the two winners' infusions.

As the contest draws near, Diep and Burleigh are looking forward seeing what recipes folks concoct.

"I'm really excited (to see) what kinds of crazy ingredients people will come up with," Diep said.

The two were equally excited about tapping into their own creative abilities.

"We passed ideas off of each other," Diep said.

The owner said it was nice to see such camaraderie among her employees, even if it was booze that brought them together.

Anyone interested in participating can visit www.mymangomoon.com to download an entry form, or send an e-mail inquiry to info@mymangomoon.com.

Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com