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Hours:
Daily 12pm-2am; Dinner served until midnight
Friday-Sunday; Lunch served noon-5pm
With the phrase, “Take your time”, on their website, The
Alembic sets the stage for a bar where you truly do want
to linger, savor and drink in. Though small and narrow, high
ceilings open up the space and dark wood and brown tones are soothing.
The spirit of the place is evocative of the old South with heart-warming
Southern blues, gospel, folk, bluegrass and ‘sittin’ on
the front porch’ tunes playing over the sound system.
Once seated at the bar, my husband’s eyes enlarge with the substantial
selection of bourbons, ryes and gins written up on the chalkboard. Beers
and ciders on tap are plentiful and cocktails competitive with the absolute best in
town (comparable with Rye, Range, etc…)
In addition, they serve Blue Bottle coffee, Brandys, Grappas and so on.
If this weren’t enough, the Southern-influenced food is hearty
and mouth-watering. The chef, Joseph Boness, has worked at the
Ritz Carlton and Campton Place – a dramatic change of environment
to this Haight Street bar. Yet the creative California accents
never become too cloying, retaining a Southern essence. You can
order “Nibbles” like nuts, olives
or frites, or a meal from the full menu, like the Spaetzle “Gratinee” of
rabbit, bacon and gruyere cheese, the “Little Pot of
Gumbo” or the Braised Oxtails “Cheesesteak”. Vegetable
Cassoulet or veggie sides exist for the vegetarians.
We’re transported to the South with their brilliant Bourbon selection
with a nice price range of glasses from lesser known distilleries. They
serve a mean version of Southern and New Orleans classics like the Sazerac (a
must with their Rye Whiskey selection) or Mint Julep,
as well as Mexican and South American classics like the rare La
Paloma (from Mexico) or the Pisco Sour (Peruvian,
though Chile lays claim to it as well – a favorite of mine).
Their Prosecco “Pick Me Ups” (Italian
sparkling wines, similar to champagne) are eye-openingly better than
your average brunch Mimosa or Bellini. For example, the addictive Madison
Fizz is composed of house-made Apricot Brandy, lime and
Plymouth … “gentle yet gulpable”, they describe it,
and it is true. It’s a soothing, nuanced drink - only one
of many ideal “morning” drinks (Bloody Mary lovers can find
four different versions, including the hardcore Bloody Bull with
a splash of beef broth and meat stick garnish!)
The best part of The Alembic, besides the stunning
selection and outstanding cocktails, is their desire to educate on Southern
drinks in general. On a quiet afternoon, our very knowledgeable,
unpretentious bartender answers all our questions, telling us facts and
stories about various bourbon distillations, local beers, and cocktail
recipes. She gave us a sample of her unparalleled home-made Limoncello,
which converted me completely as all the Italian Limoncellos I’ve
had in Italy or the US, normally taste like syrupy Lemonheads. Hers’ was
tangy, lemonade-like and strong! More sour than sweet, it packed
a surprising punch.
I haven’t seen a place quite like this anywhere. It’s
a rare gem and one of SF’s best. I’ll be coming back
for more… and more. |
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