COCKTAILS

SPOONBAR, Healdsburg - I wrote last issue about Spoonbar in Sonoma County. It’s up to you get out there… and fast… for some of the best cocktails in all of the Bay Area (no surprise) from Mr. Scott Beattie.

Ask for the full cocktail menu beyond the one you get when first seated. It’s a glory of new creations, featuring edible flowers and the herbal, produce-driven beauties Beattie has perfected since Cyrus days. There’s the added bonus of classics done with a Beattie sensibility. I get giddy at the site of three versions each of Old-Fashioneds, Negronis, Manhattans and Sazeracs, the holy foursome of cocktails.

I chose the Tempus Fugit Negroni ($8.50). How could I not? Made with Ransom’s impeccable Old Tom Gin, Dolin Rouge Vermouth, orange zest and Tempus Fugit’s brilliant Gran Classico Bitter, it’s a musky, full revelation.

On the classics front, Beattie’s Dark ‘n Stormy trumps all others. There’s an Appleton Reserve version for $7.50 (or pitcher for five at $37.50). I had the Ron Zacapa Solera 23 (a rum I’ve long been a fan of already) version for $9/$45. With fresh lime juice and Angostura bitters, Beattie adds drops of essential ginger oil for a pure, full taste. Locally grown sunflower leaves are a vivid garnish.

Going the creative Beattie route is equally thrilling. John Chapman ($10.5) is a taste of fall. When you mix St. George Whiskey and Pear Eau de Vie with lemon, apple, ginger and a Thai coconut foam, you get magic. Ditto, on the other side of the spectrum, with the Summery  Siddartha ($9.5). This one utilizes Hangar One Buddha’s Hand Citron Vodka with Beefeater Gin, St. Germain Elderflower, lemon, Thai coconut milk and lemon verbena. It’s silky, seductively bright and garden fresh.

Trust a drink from Beattie and try the spectrum. I am plotting a return…

BAR AGRICOLE, SoMa - I’ve been asked about my take on the new and long awaited hotspot from Thad Vogler. Though I tried three cocktails and bites at a pre-opening event for Bar Agricole, I did not walk away with enough of a stand-out yet to give you a proper report, though I’m sure one will be forthcoming.

I will say the space is strikingly unique, welcome in our city of understated dining rooms. It’s forward-thinking and fresh, from the photography behind the bar, to radiant light fixtures, to the awesome front garden and patio.

15 ROMOLO, North Beach - I’m always happy here… you hear me say it enough. The 15 Romolo guys do it again with two divergent cocktails. One is Spaghetti Western ($9), it’s cool name belying the crazy candy taste that happens when rye and Campari meld with sweet tomatoes (love the plump tomato garnish), lemon and a Pilsner float. The other, the spirituous bitter of Lo Scandinavo ($11) with North Shore aquavit, Gran Classico, Carpano Antica… a Scandinavian approach to a Negroni.

TAMARINDO ANTJOERIA’s MIEL BAR and REVIVAL BAR & KITCHEN, Oakland and Berkeley - And in the East Bay, Tamarindo Antojeria opened a tequila bar, Miel, in half of their restaurant, a chic, shining temple of all things tequila. Besides a fine selection of tequilas by the pour, cocktails like the Mezcalito ($12) highlight Del Maguey’s Creme de Mezcal with a little fresh orange and volcanic salt rim. They do a nice job on their margaritas and Paloma, too.

Revival Bar & Kitchen is a welcome cocktail stop in downtown Berkeley, even if the menu (food and drink) is similar to many you’ve seen in SF in recent years. They do classics, like Death in the Afternoon, Bourbon Crusta and Jalisco Sour, but also whip up specials of their bartender’s doing, fresh with the likes of lavender, lemon and egg white.

REZA ESMAILI’S ROSEBUD, served at SF CHEFS’ SPICE PARTY

This is a layered, aromatic aperitivo created by Reza for SF Chefs and one of my favorite drinks of the week. He was gracious enough to share the recipe…

Rosebud
1oz vodka
.5oz Hendrick’s gin
1oz Lillet Blanc
.5oz Aperol
3 drops rosewater
1 “Russia Rose” or mini, dry rose used for asian teas

-stir ingredients for approx 10 seconds
-strain into two sherry or port glasses
-garnish with rose
serves two

SPIRITS

MINISTRY OF RUM – Another year of Ministry of Rum, a fine rum tasting event put on by rum expert (and a downright great guy), Ed Hamilton (read about last year’s here).

Many of last year’s same vendors were there at Waterfront Hotel/Miss Pearl’s Jam House in Jack London Square. Bartending greats shook cocktails as we sipped through various rums.

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva stands out with a caramelized, spiced nose and buttery spice and tobacco flavors. Cruzan’s smooth Single Barrel Rum is an easy after-dinner sip: a light but mature, pleasing rum at the right price (retails from $27-35 online).

Despite the greater aged 8 and 12 year El Dorado rums, I prefer the 5 year cask-aged version. It’s medium-bodied, lively and redolent of the tropics with toasted coconut and fruit notes.

Each time I’ve tasted them, I enjoy honey and dark chocolates notes in Santa Teresa 1796, aged in Solera oak barrels, and Flor de Cana’s rich, charred oak and dark caramel-tinged Centenario 18 year.

Black Tot Rum was the big hoopla of the afternoon, a 40-year rum doled out in dropper-sized tastes. From the little I could gather, it was nuanced though hardly revelatory, especially compared to whiskies of similar age. Though I find some younger rums more exciting, Black Tot was nonetheless an excellent slice of history and a worthy sip.

When it comes to rum, I can’t help but return to Zacapa rums as favorites, both the Centenario and the XO.

Here’s to next year, and thanks, Ed, for ever furthering our knowledge and showing us the scope of rum.

HEAVEN HILL – Heaven Hill has an enviable line-up including some of my favorite bourbons in existence. I jumped at a chance to stop in at 83 Proof on my way to judging a whisky contest to sip one of my top bourbons (another being Pappy Van Winkle 20 and 23 year): Parker’s Heritage.

I fell in love after first trying their anniversary edition at Whiskyfest. Tasting Parker’s 27 year again is fabulous every time. Sip their Golden Anniversary edition and you’ve died and gone to bourbon heaven.

I adore rye, and Rittenhouse 25-year Rye is surely a fine one, but I’m not sure I gained much more from the added years. When it comes to aged rye, my love still lies with Van Winkle Family Reserve 13-yr Rye, which is, tragically, very hard to come by.

ST. GEORGE’s AGUA LIBRE - Don’t even get me started on how much I love St. George Spirits. I’ve been a fan for years, from my rush to purchase their incomparable Absinthe Verte upon release, to the loss of my last bottle of Agua Azul Reposado until they make a tequila again in the future, I’ve been proud to have them in the Bay Area. Tours, release parties, any event at the distillery is memorable.

I won’t go into the joys and secrets of a private tour from distiller Dave Smith last week, replete with tastes, whiffs and ecstasies from bottles, test tubes and barrels of unreleased products. Experimentation is alive and well at St. George/Hangar One and it thrills me to witness it.

In the meantime, there’s two brand new releases to enjoy. The first US rum agricole grown from US sugarcane, Agua Libre comes in two forms: dark, aged rum and white, unaged, both grassy and smooth. Also, the second batch of Firelit Coffee Liqueur was just released with dark chocolate notes from the Blue Bottle beans.

NEW ORLEANS

It’s New Orleans’ time… again.  I’ve written on the Uptown, Carollton and Garden District, CBD, on French Quarter food, more Quarter eats and drink and the Fauborg Marigny and Treme neighborhoods.

Here’s more from my July visit to Nola in the Uptown/Garden District and Bywater, plus coffee and breakfast stops.

Uptown/Garden District

HANSEN’S SNO BLIZ - In early 2009, I wrote about my favorite Nola food book, Gumbo Tales. I was moved (to tears) by the chapter on Hansen’s, the legendary sno-ball (not snow cone!) shop on Tchoupitoulas Street, and the hardships and joys of the family behind it. Closed in my prior November visit, this July it was top priority – and absolutely crucial in the heat.

With my divergent desires for a cream syrup but also spearmint on my ice, the sweetheart of a woman behind the counter said Cream of Almond and Spearmint was actually one of her favorite combos. She was right – I could not believe the rich, brightness of flavor and fine, feathery texture of the ice they are famous for from their family-made machines.

Hansen’s sno-ball perfection was accentuated by my stop an hour later at SnoWizard, another Nola long-timer since 1937. The flavors I tried here were syrupy sweet, fake, basically the bright-colored junk food syrups you’d expect, though flavor concepts were fun (Cajun Red Hot!)  And the texture of the ice wasn’t comparable.

Hansen’s is king, their staff exude heart and it did my heart good watching entire families sit on the sidewalk eating sno-balls.

LA PETITE GROCERY - Let’s just say La Petite Grocery was the best overall meal I had this visit to New Orleans. I’d put it up there in my top Nola meals alongside August, Jacques Imo’s, Dick & Jenny’s, Commander’s Palace. The space is simultaneously sophisticated chic and Southern hospitality. Beers range from Alsace to Tibet. Cocktails are solid, from an Americano Classico ($8) with Cocchi Americano, moscato dolce, muddle orange, mint and a Luxardo cherry, to a bright Bee’s Knees ($10): Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, lavender blossom clover honey, lemon.

And, oh, the food. I let out a moan of delight more than once during this meal. Certainly for Lobster Beignets ($9), warm, with lobster falling out of a fried casing. French remoulade and cabbage slaw accented this buttery delight. But how could I not equally swoon over Abita Root Beer-braised Beef Short Rib ($11)? Tender beef, potato croquettes and house pickles all won me, but it was the sweet, nuanced sauce on smoky meat that ushered the dish into another realm.

Fried Boudin ($6) was peppy with red onion marmalade, whole grain mustard and pickled jalapenos. Pan-seared Rabbit ($19) was a solid, savory dish of tender rabbit with wilted spinach and spaetzle in a lemon caper brown butter. Entrees particularly shined in these two superb dishes: Braised Pork Cheeks ($15) over Louisiana popcorn rice, grilled corn and roasted peppers, and ever-a-favorite Southern dish of mine, Shrimp & Grits ($14), swimming in jus, shiitake mushrooms, divine, smoky bacon and thyme.

DOMILISE’S - It doesn’t get much crustier: mom, grandma and son frying oysters and catfish, while loading up sandwiches, ignoring a ringing phone, and trying to avoid the incessant line of customers until they absolutely have to take their order or payment.

Only grandpa, serving me an ice cold root beer at the bar, seemed to have a little joy, and even then, reservedly so. I fell in love with Domilise’s, a Nola po boy institution for decades. The bread is far from artisan, oysters and shrimp are  greasy and plump. The po boys are best loaded not only with the usual hot sauce, but with horseradish and tartar sauce. Roast Beef Po Boys are as popular as the Oyster Po Boys. Half sizes are still large and range from $9-12.50 (oysters being the most expensive at $12.50), while full-sized sandwiches run $11-16.

This is a classic I am glad to say I finally visited on a non-descript, residential block Uptown… a true peek at the unique character of old school, New Orleans cheap eats.

CURE - Cure opened since my last visit to Nola so when I was here for Tales, it was a priority to visit what is one of the few “new wave” cocktail bars in a city that more often keeps it old school. As it isn’t a common style of bar in Nola, I appreciate it, but compared to bars of this type across the country, it did not overly impress. The patio is a nice break from loud music in the echoing, chic interior. But in July, the heat is so oppressive, even late at night on the patio, a drink barely refreshed.

The drinks are solid, like Re-Bootsy Collins ($9), an El Jimador Blanco refresher with house-made rhubarb & lime cordial, topped with soda water. Celery Stalker ($10) is bright with Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin, lime, house celery bitters, and cucumber, topped with Prosecco. There are also spirituous, bitter treats like Cease & Desist ($9) with Rittenhouse bonded Rye, Carpano Punt e Mes, Fernet Branca and orange peel.

COMMANDER’S PALACE - Commander’s Palace is the Queen of New Orleans’ jazz brunches (Arnaud’s is another quintessential Nola brunch). Commander’s main dining room, highlighted with tacky balloons, is more circa 1980’s elegance than Arnaud’s lovely, turn-of-the-century, garden-style dining room, but the legend, history and importance of Commander’s in Nola history cannot be overstated. Not to mention the food is excellent. All reasons alone you must visit at least once.

Similar to other hours-long jazz brunches around the city, you will pay $30-40 per person without drinks, and will be serenaded by roving jazz trio as you dine. Also similar to others, my beloved, only-in-Nola brunch drinks are available, some off-menu. Just ask for a Bourbon (or Brandy) Milk Punch for creamy, boozy breakfast decadence. Or a tableside coffee/brandy Cafe Brulot, flaming orange rind and all. I’m still waiting to see this presented properly in the Bay Area.

While the band wooed with my request for Lazy River, I filled up on Gumbo YaYa,  Shrimp & Tasso Henican (wild Louisiana white shrimp stuffed with spicy Cajun ham, Crystal hot sauce beurre blanc, pickled okra and five pepper jelly) and Eggs Acadian: duck, andouille and sweet potato hash cakes with two poached eggs over bacon, smothered in red beans and spicy Creole mustard hollandaise. Who could miss their famed Creole Bread Pudding Souffle? Don’t, if you haven’t had it. It’s bread pudding souffle-style: light, airy, doused with whiskey cream sauce tableside.

May the decadent Nola jazz brunch tradition never die.

Bywater

BACCHANAL – Nevermind that after hanging out with aperitifs and wine, then waiting in a 30 minute line for BBQ (which smelled amazing), I neared the stand only to find they’d sold out of literally everything. And this was all before 9pm. That was a brutal blow, but otherwise, Bacchanal is a special, Nola-style wine bar.

With a big backyard that feels like a friend’s summer BBQ garden party, live Dixieland jazz and blues (with gospel and lounge thrown in for good measure) set the tone for a magical evening. I like this more remote, laid-back neighborhood and find Bacchanal a summer idyll with a cheese platter and bottle of Cocchi Americano. No wonder it’s the ‘last hurrah’ hang-out for bartenders and spirits folk at the end of Tales.

Breakfast & Coffee

SURREY’s JUICE BAR, Lower Garden District -  Surrey’s would be at home in Berkeley. Eclectic garage sale decor and a hippie vibe confirm Berkeley-like status with juices and wheatgrass shots. On a blazing hot, Louisiana summer day, nothing tasted better than a fresh juice of carrot, orange and celery. You can pop in for juice or stay for breakfasts of Brat N’ Eggs, Costa Rican scramble with black beans, Tofu Breakfast Platter or Bananas Foster French Toast.

LA BOULANGERIE, Uptown/Garden District – A locals favorite and one I hit during each visit to Nola, La Boulangerie is vaguely Tartine-reminiscent though far from that exuberantly amazing. Still, baguettes, breads and pastries are of high quality, baked fresh daily, and I couldn’t go wrong with a breakfast of their Peach Danish ($2.20) or Apple Cinnamon Scone ($1.90).

FUEL COFFEE HOUSE, Uptown/Garden District – I stumbled upon Fuel when riding a bike out along Magazine Street. The front garden and porch invited me in, the clientele on a weekday seemed predominantly college students from nearby Tulane or Loyola, and coffee was surprisingly strong and smooth. When I saw the sign next door (photo below, left) on the wall of neighboring (and fabulously dive-y) Le Bon Temps Roule, it put a big smile on my face: a black baby with headphones for Brown Sugar Records (which is not in the building, by the way), that reads: “Our Business is Pleasing You.”

PJ’s COFFEE – Yes, PJ’s is a chain, with 15 Nola shops alone, but the location inside the Royal Sonesta Hotel saved my life numerous days during Tales when I’d order their damn good Iced Coffee or a Cappuccino before a morning seminar down the hall after only 3 hours sleep.

I can’t help but laugh at the obvious Nola boozy factor: if you so desire, bottles of liquor hang upside down, dripping straight into your coffee. Add Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Baileys or the like, to your cup first thing in the morning.

SF CHEFS  8/10-15

SF CHEFS, a week-long celebration of all things food and drink in SF, ushered in it’s second year last week. It was as full, fun and delectable as the first year. From industry seminars like the intriguing Tales from the Still, which kicked off the week, to the Grand Tasting tent in Union Square, there was never a dull moment… nor a hungry one. Food from some our best chefs and drinks from some our best bartenders flowed freely at the Spice Party or Friday’s Hog in the Fog festivities. Here are merely a few photo highlights:

8/12 Spice Party at the Westin

8/13 Hog in the Fog in Union Sq.

Duggan McDonnell (of Cantina, Encanto Pisco) "will work for pisco" (www.sfbg.com/2010/07/ 14/appetite-campo-de-encanto-sf-gets-its-own-pisco)

8/14 Grand Tasting in Union Square

8/14 Top Chef Happy Hour

TALES from TALES: Highlights at Tales of the Cocktail

In 100% humidity at 100 degrees (with no relief at night), spending a week drinking and eating doesn’t sound like the best idea, but for eight years running, it happens every July in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail. For cocktail lovers and industry, this is THE drink event of the year (yes, I was at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic – no comparison in my book).

My first, or virgin, year at Tales, was as sleepless and packed as everyone said it would be, but moderation is the name of my game (at least outside of sleep). I managed to indulge without so much as one hangover from anything other than sleep deprivation.

Of course, it meant merely tasting most drinks, eating a lot (NO problem in New Orleans!) and promptly turning around upon surveying 3am crowds at Old Absinthe House, instead heading to quieter bars or the Monteleone lobby for civilized conversation.

I already feel completely alive in my skin when I’m in New Orleans. Any reason to be in that queen of cities is a good reason for me. Tales itself grew progressively better as the week went on, despite awful heat and waning sleep… mainly because I continued to meet great people which led to further excursions, tastings, dinners, parties, and as the cumulative effect added up to a host of memories and experiences.  Let me try to summarize a mere few highlights for you:

LIFE-ALTERING TASTING of 1865 & 1805 COGNAC!
7/25 The Mysteries & Secrets of Distilling in Cognac

Cognac masters, Olivier Paultes and Alain Royer, moderator Dale DeGroff, and spirited bartender extraordinaire, Salvatore Calabrese, were keepers of the surprise that awaited at the end of a fascinating, seemingly routine seminar on the methods of distilling cognac, along with a token five cognac, side-by-side tasting.

The seminar suddenly escalated to once-in-a-lifetime experience when Calabrese informed our small group that he brought not only a bottle of 1865 Rouyer Guillet & Co. cognac to share together, but also an 1805 Maison De L’Emprereur cognac he was going to make a Sazerac with!

The room erupted in applause as we stood on chairs to take photos and watch him mix what he called a “$10,000 cocktail”. We passed the Sazerac around, each savoring a profound sip.

We all had a pour of the silky 1865. I exhaled and placed my head down on the table after first taste. It was remarkably full, refined with raisin and floral notes initially, a finely balanced burn, evolving into chocolate and nutty notes. I could only begin to fathom the history wrapped up in each sip. As Calabrese exclaimed, “This was made when Abraham Lincoln was alive!”

Worth far more than the $40 price of admission, the lucky few who happened to be in this seminar got an education beyond what we could have ever expected. We lived a moment that, for drink lovers, will remain a marker of earth-shattering tastes for the rest of our lives.

GREEN GORILLAS DESCENDING on the PELICAN CLUB
7/22 at The Pelican Club Spirited Dinner, French Quarter

Thursday night there were Spirited Dinners across town. I chose the one at Pelican Club mainly because of the all-star line-up of bartenders from across the country pairing cocktails with a six-course dinner: Marcos Tello – The Varnish, LA; Jim Meehan – PDT, NY; Misty Kalkofen – Drink, Boston; Peter Vestinos – Wirtz Beverage Group, Chicago; and our own rockstar, Neyah White, formerly of Nopa.

The food was not as fine as I’d hoped, but the atmosphere was convivial, festive, a warmly welcoming party. The cocktails all featured the night’s spirit: Bols Genever.

Neyah clearly had fun creating the dessert cocktail, Drum Shag: Bols, sarsaparilla, PX sherry, infused with smoke.

But the highlight of the night? A foursome of green gorillas descended on the bar during aperitif hour before we were seated at our tables. I’d seen them at the pool of the Monteleone before, or roaming the streets, surely hot and sweaty in their cheap, neon green garb. The site of these guys at the elegant Pelican bar while some of our country’s best bartenders poured them shots was a memorable image, one that somehow typifies the wacky exuberance that is Tales.

DEL MAGUEY – RON COOPER – MEZCAL
7/25 La Verdad (The Truth) about Mezcal Seminar

Everyone who knows anything about mezcal knows Ron Cooper of Del Maguey is the master, having done more to further the mezcal gospel than anyone, even being called the “mezcal missionary“. As my friend whispered to me during the seminar, describing the panel of mezcal distillers: “They’ve all drunk the kool-aid, haven’t they?” Despite the fact that I’ve already been a mezcal fan for a few years, so did I… so did we all… by the end of the session.

I’m must be honest: much as I appreciated every distiller there (Illegal Mezcal, Los Amantes, and Sombra), as has been my common experience in previously tasting these and other mezcals, none are in the same league as Ron’s entire product line. This was highlighted in a side-by-side tasting of all the above next to five Del Maguey mezcals. But all these guys were heartfelt and inspiring, while Ron himself is a small, peace-filled  powerhouse of a man… the Yoda of the mezcal world.

Every single Del Maguey mezcal is a revelation, whether the creamy, smoky sweet of Crema de Mezcal, or the chocolate earthiness of other-worldly Chichicapa. More to come soon here and in my Guardian column about his mezcals. Thanks to Neyah White, who created this menu, try Del Maguey by the shot at Nopalito, in cocktails throughout SF, or order some bottles. Once you dig further into mezcal, particularly through the Del Maguey lens, you, too, will “drink the kool-aid”.

SOUTHERN ROMANCE of DIXIELAND JAZZ under SWEEPING OAKS
7/22 William Grant & Sons Opening Party at Elms Mansion in the Garden District

Yes, by 1am it felt like it was actually getting hotter as I wilted in the oppressive humidity, but what could have been more romantic than the stately, white Elms Mansion with stunning wood carved fireplaces and ceilings, drawing room scotch bar, white lights and absinthe in the garden, and live Dixieland band playing under a white-pillared rotunda? Not much. As massive oak trees loomed over us, even larger than the mansion, I felt fully alive and grateful… I was in the South.

A SUDDEN DOWNPOUR entering the BARTENDER’S BREAKFAST
7/24 Bartender’s Breakfast – Spirited Awards after party

A second line jazz funeral was held for Sex on the Beach, a cocktail that surely needed to die, on the walk from the Spirited Awards Ceremony to the Bartender’s Breakfast, where the likes of Audrey Saunders and Jim Meehan were making us drinks. Before entering the building, a sultry Summer storm rushed through, dampening our dresses, suits and hair. A warm rain, it wasn’t exactly a respite from the unrelenting heat, but it somehow refreshed, invigorated, injecting us with energy to celebrate late into the night.

NEW ORLEANS

It’s a sad truth that at events on the scale of Tales of the Cocktail, it can be hard to find a decent drink… yes, it’s not easy batching drinks for hundreds of people. But whether on a smaller scale in a tasting room or with simple but robust recipes, like Audrey Saunders’ drink below, here are a couple that stood out from the fray.

Memorable Tales Cocktails

At the 7/24 Bartender’s Breakfast, coming in from a swift and steamy downpour post-Spirited Awards’ Dinner, there could not have been a more refreshing drink, handed to me with a smile, than Audrey Saunders‘ Bitter Admiral. Apparently, Wax Matman thinks so, too, calling it the best drink at Tales this year.

BITTER ADMIRAL
1 1/4 oz Plymouth Navy Strength Gin
1 3/4 oz Campari
5 oz Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice

Add ice to 12 oz. collins glass, measure in gin, Campari, juice. Garnish with grapefruit slice and a straw.

Don Q’s Esteban Ordonez stole the show on 7/23 in the On the Rocks tasting room at the Hotel Monteleone, featuring 23 spirits. After smoking a glass over red leaf tobacco, he mixed 90% Don Q Anejo with 10% Don Q Cristal, homemade bitters and a swipe of orange rind on the rim.

Poured over an artistic ice globe from Glace Luxury Ice, it was a smoky, sultry rum cocktail, with nuance and elegance. Maybe the most exciting drink I tasted this week.

Though this grappa drink in 8/23’s Grappa: The Spirit of Life tasting room was not necessarily a favorite, I appreciated what Miami bartender, Gabriel Orta, was pairing with grappa: red pepper, raspberry, thyme. It would work for brunch, with a nice tart, round taste.

Rick Stutz created a joyous Kahlua breakfast cocktail in the Black Paloma, which was served in the Hotel Monteleone Kahlua Coffee Bar, along with some fine espressos and iced coffee every morning. This drink refreshed with hints of chocolate and lime, and a salty, bitter tinge:

BLACK PALOMA
1 1/2 pts Olemca Altos Plata Tequila
1 1/2 parts Kahlua
3/4 pts lime
1/2 pts fresh grapefruit juice
2 dashes of bitters
pinch of salt
stir with ice and top with club soda

NEW ORLEANS

Tales of the Cocktail brought me back to my beloved Nola. I’ve done articles on the CBD, Uptown, Carollton and Garden District, Fauborg Marigny and Treme neighborhoods, and on French Quarter food. Now I’m back in the Quarter with drink and food updates…

French Quarter Drinks

Loving the time-transporting atmosphere of the truly magical Jean Laffitte’s and the dank, historical Old Absinthe House doesn’t help when the drinks aren’t so good. Tujague’s fares well with history, crustiness and fine Sazeracs, and Napoleon House, famous for their Pimm’s Cup (which I find watered-down), oozes 1700’s charm. Nowhere in America do I know of bars that hold the pirating, French, Creole, only-in-New Orleans’ mystery each of these places hold.

Skip Bourbon Street (anything but live jazz at the awesome  Fritzel’s, Maison Bourbon for dixieland, and the one-and-only Preservation Hall), and head half a block off Bourbon to the delightfully divey Erin Rose, complete with crappy drinks (or cheap shots), espresso ice machine (kind of like a house Frappuccino with Irish whiskey), crusty locals, savvy tourists, and a kick-ass jukebox.

But when you need a decent drink in the Quarter? The charm of all the intrigue-laden places I’ve mentioned, sadly does not equal a proper cocktail.

BAR TONIQUE – Bar Tonique is a noteworthy addition to the Quarter, right on the purportedly dangerous edge of the Quarter and the Treme, facing Louis Armstrong Park. Pretty new to the scene, it’s now my number one recommend for drinks in the Quarter. The brick-walled space holds booths, an alcove and plenty of bar stools (even a roach that ran across the alcove floor on a recent summer night! What do you expect from 100% humidity?)

The staff are tatooed, friendly and shake some fine classics (The Last Word, Ward 8, etc…) along with cocktails like Blanche Dubois, a refreshing mix of muddled strawberry and mint with Beefeater gin, orange curacao, orgeat and lemon… the orgeat added nutty dimension. And most cocktails hover around a reasonable $7-8.

FRENCH 75 – Widely regarded as one of the best bars in New Orleans, and some say, the country, French 75 has the added (and now rare) perk of being a cigar lounge. So light up and take in the circa 1930’s atmosphere while sipping a French 75 (of course), Sazerac, or aperitif. It’s a place where I can go dressed up and have grown-up conversation, even a little romance with my drink.

French Quarter Eats

Last year I shared a few Quarter eats with you (including Coop’s, which I revisited this time around – still the best jambalaya I’ve ever had). Here’s Quarter eats from my July visit.

BAYONA – I’ve been trying to get to Bayona for years, having long heard about the illustrious chef, Susan Spicer. Granted, I only visited for lunch, but was not exactly thrilled with the rather dated (read: 1980’s) dining room and a menu not quite as varied as I’d hoped. In the end, there were two real stand-outs.

Eggplant “Caviar” Tapenade ($7) is light, enlivened by fresh feta chunks, a bit of anchovy and tomato on toasts, while Sauteed Sweetbreads ($15) are plump and vibrantly tart with lemon-caper butter, though the fried notes grew tiring after a couple bites. Goat Cheese Crouton ($10) were toasts piled with mushrooms in Madeira cream. Lots of bread in this meal.

Despite more bread inherent in a sandwich, things got exciting with their signature lunch dish: Smoked Duck/Cashew-Peanut Butter/Pepper Jelly Sandwich ($12). The duck falls apart, savory and creamy with the peanut butter. An adult’s PB&J. Dessert won over my whole table: a house special ice cream of Creole Cream Cheese (which I will never say “no” to) laced with chunks of Red Velvet Cake. If I had to exhale a slight moan with each spoonful, could you really blame me? Not if you tasted it.

IRENE’S CUISINE – First, you get a group welcome from Irene herself and waiters at the door. Then, there are multiple dining rooms, each more seductive than the last (I prefer the lush middle room with marble fireplace). Irene’s is actually off-the-beaten-path for the Quarter, yet remains a Nola institution.  They have no website and prefer to do things as they’ve always done them, which works when dishes are made with such loving-care and a sense of history.

I started “light” with a special of giant Creole Tomato slices topped with buffalo mozzarella and red onion on one half, pancetta and blue cheese on the other. Nothing wrong with that. Escargot aux Champignons ($8.75) were meaty mushroom caps cooked in butter, garlic, leek and parsley, stuffed with plump snails. Yes, thank you. Lightly-fried Soft Shell Crab, another pleaser. But even better on the fried tip? Fried Oysters & Grilled Shrimp ($10.50) sauteed in Italian breadcrumbs. On my first night in Nola this July, one bite of those flavorful fried oysters and I knew I was back.

Another highlight, besides the sweetest, most genuine service one could hope for, was a side of house-made pasta: Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli ($7.50). Delicate, melting pasta is warm with cheese and spinach, topped with shaved Parmigiano, a hint of nutmeg, and, most importantly, a divine red pasta sauce that belies their Sicilian influences.

Talking me into dessert wasn’t painful when it meant Creole Cream Cheesecake with Louisiana strawberries and amaretto syrup. If you haven’t had Creole cream cheese (which I eat as often as I can when in Nola), you are sadly missing out. Light and fluffy, it’s also tart, creamy, unforgettable. The pairing of a sweet Hungarian dessert wine, Royal Tokaji’s 2006 Tocai, made for an ideal completion to a true New Orleans dinner.

CLOVER GRILL – Two years ago, I stayed in an apartment on the edge of the Quarter/Fauborg Marigny, passing Clover Grill almost nightly, open 24 hours with darling, retro diner authenticity. In the course of Tales, one craves 3am sustenance after hours of cocktail tasting.

Thankfully, Clover Grill more than took care of my needs. The clientele is boisterous, but not obnoxious. It feels like one all-night party, though service is understandably harried with steady crowds. They grill up a surprisingly good Burger ($5.49) that reminded me of childhood, particularly fun loaded with jalapenos and cheese (an additional $1.09). Their Chocolate Malt ($3.99) is one of the maltiest and best I’ve had. An Omelette ($4.99) tasted right doused with chili ($1.09). This a classic in these parts and a mighty fine neighborhood diner.

GREEN GODDESS – Green Goddess is an odd Quarter spot. Located in an alley right around the corner from the Hotel Monteleone where I stayed for Tales, it opened in 2009 and despite a rather cheesy name that reminds me of a hippie Berkeley restaurant (and the salad dressing), a local told me this was one of the more creative new openings in the Quarter. I popped in for dinner, charmed by the sweet chef and staff, a quirky, under-stated space and alley location.

They take cochon (pig), gulf shrimp, tasso ham and other local foods, and mix in Asian influences for what often sounds odd but works. Banh Xeo ($13) is a Vietnamese rice crepe filled with crabmeat, sprouts and avocado, served with a sweet chili garlic sauce. Shrimp “Wearing a Grass Skirt” ($14) is BBQ Louisiana shrimp roasted in shredded phyllo with roasted pineapple and coconut slaw.

Not all of it works as well as fusion I’ve had in my own city or NY, but I respect the ambition and attempts of this spot to do something different, international and out of the Quarter, or even Nola, norm. I want to try more of their menu.

If I hadn’t been burnt out-completely on cocktails, I was eager to sample their eclectic mix of drinks like The Jesuit Bend ($10), a Brazilian cachaca concoction with O.N.E. berry coffee juice (not sure if that would be good or not?), pepper syrup, and Fee Bros. Aztec chocolate bitters.

I did enjoy their Mango-Banana Lassi ($6), which was thankfully tart and balanced. Particularly noteworthy was the added texture of basil seeds and a curry sugar rim.

Imbiber in NEW YORK CITY

Cocktails

Though my May New York adventures brought me to some of the city’s newer treasures (see June 15 issue), I also made sure I hit up some of the greats of the past decade for a sip of what they’ve been serving lately:

Milk & Honey, Lower East Side - Through its dodgy, unmarked door into a musty yet romantic (?) interior, Milk & Honey remains one of the best bars in all of NY, father of the speakeasy renaissance (opened in 2000), even if cocktails are a whopping $15 or $16 each. Ice is of highest, hand-chipped quality, and the Penicillin, created here, is always the go-to drink for the uninitiated. But my recent visit held the beauties of a boozy Paper Plane (Amaro Nino, Aperol, bourbon), and a brilliant variation of a Corpse Reviver, along with the company of lovely regulars we chatted with for ages at the bar.

Death & Co., East Village – In the early days, this bar was mellow, sophisticated, with impeccable cocktails. That still holds true, while required table seating thankfully attempts to keep the mellow part in check, but it is a scene now and doesn’t always feel like a bar filled with cocktail lovers. This is apparent from the (kindly) bouncer, the long waits to get in, etc… Fabulous, new Cienfuegos is on the same block so if the wait is too long, head there instead. But Death & Co. creates some of the best cocktails in New York, evidenced by their double win last week (it was exciting to be at the Spirited Awards in New Orleans – more next Perfect Spot) at Tales of the Cocktail for Best American Cocktail Bar and World’s Best. Not sure I’d call it either, but it remains a wonderfully fine bar.

My last visit showed range and contrast between the spicy, vibrant Southern Exposure (jalapeno-infused Chinaco Blanco, Sombra Mezcal, lime, petit cane syrup, fresh red pepper puree, kosher salt) and a lightly creamy, intriguing Pearls Before Swine (Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin, lemon, orgeat, greek yogurt, lemon curd, rose water). The latter was a delicious stand-out. I respect (when well done) this kind of experimentation in cocktails.

Flatiron Lounge, Flatiron - Though I don’t think Flatiron Lounge has held up in the cocktail renaissance compared to some newer, better bars (I’d rather go a block or two away to Raines Law Room), Julie Reiner (who went on to help launch Pegu Club and Clover Club) opened this place ahead of the resurgence, back in 2003. It has historic touches like an original 1927 mahogany bar from The Ballroom that Sinatra and other celebrities frequented. These touches make it special, even if the space is a little lacking in warmth or transporting mood. Cocktails (mostly $13) are solid, if not revelatory, from a refreshing King Rose: gin, basil, strawberries, lime; Vincente’s Antidote: silver tequila, Green Chartreuse, elderflower liqueur, lemon, grapefruit bitters; to Ship to Shore: cognac, dark rum, earl grey tea, figs, lemon, sherry.

Little Branch, West Village - Little Branch, from the unstoppable Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey, is (similar to M&H) a musty bar that comes off a little like a bowling alley bar tucked in a basement during Prohibition. The menu is short, sweet, sticking to classics. But what these bartenders make best is off menu. It is pretty much about spirituous classics here and I go with bartender’s choice, knowing they’ll always satisfy my thirst with well-crafted libations.