Summer’s Two Most-Anticipated Openings

Article & Photos by Virginia Miller

Coming from one who hits virtually every new opening in San Francisco, and is constantly exploring new and established places globally, I weary of the “same old concept”, even as I am engaged by genuine passion no matter the concept.

These two recent previews of restaurants slated to open this summer have me particularly expectant. Both step with a firm foot out the door by filling a niche that has not already been filled and calling on experts in those fields. Rather than open the umpteenth “creative Californian”, upscale comfort food or Neapolitan pizza place, they venture to explore a category in realms yet unsaturated. Earning greater marks, they do this in both food and drink categories.

LA URBANA, Western Addition/Nopa (661 Divisadero Street at Grove)

What once humbly housed Plant It Earth is set to become San Francisco’s sophisticated new temple to Mexican cuisine and mezcal, La Urbana. Founded by entrepreneur Eduardo Rallo and Mexican architect Juan Garduño, their goal is to represent what is happening in the Mexico City dining scene.

Having just returned from Mexico City and Oaxaca myself this spring, I can vouch that we see little of what is reflected in that city’s restaurants in the States. Certainly we boast countless restaurants as chic as in Mexico City, and California has explored “upscale, creative” Mexican cuisine for decades alongside traditional categories. But there’s a current wave happening in Mexico City pushing Mexican food into new territories. There I witnessed seafood-focused restaurants with a Mexico-meets-Japan ethos (taking cues from Peru?), and farm-fresh ingredients given creative sway at restaurants like Quintonil.

Chef Benjamin Klein and chef de cuisine Julio Aguilera have created a menu that strikes into freshly imagined territory. Think a delicate egg, the top cracked off, filled with fluffy egg, potato puree, pickled jalapeno, lime crema, chorizo and topped with chapulines (a fried grasshopper), the latter transporting me straight back to Oaxaca where fried grasshoppers dominate.

There were clean, meaty “La Playa” oysters doused in cucumber serrano froth, and a fried masa huarache topped with tender lengua (beef tongue), mayocoba bean spread, queso fresco, habanero escabeche and spring onion flowers… meaty, flavor-packed, artful. Dessert was no afterthought. All three stood out, particularly a Oaxacan chocolate cremeux in a gourd used for drinking mezcal in remote areas of Oaxaca (as I recently learned up in the Oaxacan mountains). In the gourd, frozen, tart crema is dotted with canela (cinnamon) tuille and puffed rice.

Lucas Ranzuglia oversees the cocktail menu, bringing cocktail experience from his native Buenos Aires, cocktail mecca London, and Mexico.

Whether with tequila or mezcal as the base, his margarita is a lesson is complex-yet-simple beauty. Rather than just use typical fresh lime juice or a triple sec, he makes his own orange flower water, clarified lime juice, and in a traditional Mexican bowl, grates lime oils from zest and combines them all together. The result is a margarita of texture, tart and liveliness… with three types of salt to choose from for the rim. This is no throwaway margarita.

His take on a dry martini is Acapulco-Manila, a clean, bracing presentation of mezcal with a simple radish highlighting the mineral mezcal with a vivid pinky-red. The most unusual drink was Mezcal & Cacao, a water-based mix of earthy Oaxacan cacao and mezcal served tall on the rocks, decked out with bright, edible flowers. Refreshing and dry, it’s boozy dessert for those of us who like a savory touch to finish. On the non-alcoholic side, tortilla lemonade or grapefruit-lade are traditional juices that taste intensely of, yes, tortilla. The juices made my mouth immediately water for fresh-fried tortilla chips.

Garduño’s Garduño Arquitectos designed a polished dining room. The 3600-square-foot space will also house La Mezcaleria Urbana, a hardcore mezcal bar with a selection of 40-50 rare mezcals, and Mercado Urbano, a more casual, street food hangout by day and a lounge at night. The dining room and mezcaleria are shooting for a July opening, while the mercado is on track for the fall.

THE COMPANY BAR & KITCHEN, SoMa (133 Steuart St. between Mission & Howard, 415-394-6500)

Despite a rather bland moniker, The Company Bar & Kitchen will be the latest from the Michael Mina Group when it opens (slated for this summer). Two of its great assets are sommelier superstar Rajat Parr and Michael Mina cocktail master Carlo Splendorini. Amy Kim of LA-based AK Design Network (who worked with Philippe Starck on Beverly Hills’ SLS Hotel) is designing what was formerly Shanghai 1930, an underground, subterranean restaurant that remained an intriguing space over a decade. The space will now include an open kitchen with tandoori ovens, chef’s counter, dining area with communal tables, and bar area with a live botanical bar where customers can infuse their gin.

They take on Raj’s Calcutta roots (what Parr calls “a very personal project”) serving modern-yet-comfortable East India cuisine described as “mid-range” and “fun”. Parr’s mother, who grew up in Delhi, is even consulting on the food. We sampled a Dungeness crab salad lightly spiced with anardana (a subtly sweet/sour spice made of dried pomegranate seeds) on pappadum (a classic, paper thin, Indian “cracker”). The crab was perked up with bits of gold corn, blood orange, pomegranate and a dollop of curry spiced aioli. Glouti kebab stood out: a patty of minced leg of lamb, split pea, yellow lentil, papaya spiced with cardamom.

Parr’s wine expertise will be focused on the mighty Riesling (an endlessly nuanced category and one of my favorite varietals) and Syrah from around the globe, and he plans to serve a House Kolsch alongside other approachable beers.

Splendorini’s cocktails are among the most elegantly nuanced around so I’m eager to see what he will serve at The Company. In the preview, he talked of clean house cocktails heavy on Indian flavors like ras el hanout (spice blend) and kaffir lime. He sampled us on drinks like Fizzy Lifting Drink, a straightforward, sweet mix of Tanqueray 10 gin, Aperol and sencha green tea syrup, or Fix-It Up Chappie, a frothy-soft (with egg white) blend of kaffir lime-infused Bombay Sapphire gin, honey, Meyer lemon and garam masala spices. I appreciated his twist on a classic Blood and Sand cocktail: Blood & Sanskrit. Blood orange juice and Americano Rosso vermouth is given an Indian twist mixed with Amrut Single Malt whisky and Rangpur lime-Fresno chili syrup.

PHAN’S NEW ORLEANS DUO

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

Chef powerhouse Charles Phan’s New Orleans-influenced Southern food and bourbon bar duo opened mid-March with similar menus focused on New Orleans-style bar snacks and menus run by the ever-talented Erik Adkins, who oversees cocktail bars at every Phan restaurant. Both are already destination bars in terms of quality and setting.

HARD WATER, Embarcadero (Pier 3, Ste. 3-102, 415-392-3021)

Hard Water is a sleek beauty of a bar designed by Olle Lundberg. The high-ceiling room is centered by dramatic marble-top horseshoe bar, no tables and seating along the walls. Though right on the water, the view isn’t waterside but of the passing bustle of the Embarcadero.

Boiled peanuts, cornmeal-crusted alligator ($12), and a delightful fried veggie snack of crispy milk-braised celery hearts ($12) typify bar food available, alongside entrees like braised rabbit and buttermilk dumplings in sage ($21) or okra etouffee ($17) over popcorn rice.

The shining star here, however, is the American whiskies strikingly lined against a glowing white wall. Adkins and crew journeyed to Kentucky to choose their own house barrels of 9 and 10 year old Willett Bourbon (a highlight of my Kentucky distillery visits this March). House whiskey, Weller 7 year, is used in ubiquitous classics like an Old Fashioned. The rarities on offer will thrill an American whiskey aficionado, like 2002 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, flights of the entire Van Winkle line, and even a few bottles of the put of production, very rare A.J. Hirsch 16 year and 20 year bourbons.

The bar is in excellent hands managed by Joel Baker who has been crafting fine cocktails since the early days of Bourbon & Branch, while the menu keeps it clean and simple with no more than 6-8 cocktails, mainly focused on classics with an occasional twist, like a version of a Whiskey Smash Adkins was experimenting with called a Trailer Smash with smoked maple syrup.

SOUTH at SFJAZZ, Hayes Valley (201 Franklin St. at Fell, 415-539-3905)

For an avid jazz fan such as myself, it’s been a thrill to see the country’s first fully dedicated jazz hall akin to a classical symphony hall open in San Francisco this spring. Already attending a few concerts, I’m delighted to find SFJazz’s house café, South at SFJazz, a welcome, glass-walled space that feels like a community hangout for jazz fans with SF-quality food and drink.

Similarities exist between South and Hard Water’s menu, but the casual South at SFJazz menu also offers charcuterie platters with crostini, Creole mustard and celery root rèmoulade ($14), a simple field greens and pickled sweet red onion salad ($10) elevated by peanut vinaigrette, cheese grits ($6), or mini Muffaletta sandwiches ($6).

As at Hard Water, the bar is already another destination drinking spot with bar talent like Erik Ellestad and Ken Furusawa. The cocktail menu ($10) is again compiled by Erik Adkins, with Nola nods in name and style in drinks like The Battle of New Orleans (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, gum syrup, dashes of absinthe, Peychaud’s and orange bitters) or the Tchoupitoulas Street Guzzle (El Dorado 3 year rum, lime, ginger, Peychaud’s bitters).

Horse Thief Cocktail (Hayman’s Old Tom gin, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, absinthe) makes a lovely, clean aperitif with a bitter herbaceousness, while a classic Brandy Milk Punch is my kind of dessert: Germain Robin brandy, Barbancourt 8 year rum, Straus organic milk, and fresh nutmeg grated on top. During opening days, Adkins told me he hopes to add fun drinks like a boozy NY egg cream (brilliant idea) using bourbon or rum, Stumptown Coffee Liqueur, orgeat, cream and soda.

The wine list is no slouch with offerings like a local Sonoma wine I’ve been seeing pop up on a lot of menus lately: Vaughn Duffy Pinot Noir Rose, a dry, mineral, balanced partner to starters like crispy, meaty boudin balls ($9), cornmeal fried oysters ($9) or comforting black-eyed pea succotash ($7).

Staff are sensitive to timing so South is ideal for a pre-show bite and drink.

Eat/Drink: Quaffable Dessert, Fennel Intensity, Squid Ink & Spicy Rum, Grilled Cheese & Spiced Cocktails

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

Cocktails and food: each of these four locations – one brand new, three established – boast noteworthy cocktails – and most are excellent restaurants. Here’s what’s making an impression in recent weeks…

ALCHEMIST, SoMa/South Beach (679 3rd St. between Brannan & Townsend; 415-746-9968)

Opened by Kinson Lau (Gitane) and Phil Chen, Alchemist, upstairs in a wood-floored, roomy space, recalls LA mixology bars like Next Door Lounge (but with better drinks) and The Edison (not near as over the top or pretentious). Similar to both those bars, black & white films flicker on Alchemist’s brick walls, while couches and chairs form sections and nooks in which to linger. It can get noisy but the space is still a SoMa respite, unlike other bars nearby.

Seth Laufman (Gitane, Burritt Room, Comstock Saloon) created the cocktails ($11), a list of catchy names – like a spicy, Scotch-ginger-habanero concoction and nod to Mr. T, B.A. Baracus – representing straightforward (read: unfussy) but well-made drinks. The Baracus is topped by Martinelli’s cider, a trend I am noticing popping up around town, recalling childhood holidays.

Stop Fenneling Me may be my top pick. Though it borders precariously on thick sweetness, it’s savory fennel bitters that save this clean imbibement of Right Gin, velvet falernum (lime, almond, vanilla, ginger, clove-tinged liqueur), and a touch of Manzanilla sherry.

Campfire Fizz goes the smoky-refreshing route with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Cherry Heering (cherry liqueur) and lemon, frothy with egg white and IPA beer.

Sweet/bracing notes come into balance in a twist on the classic Vieux Carré cocktail, Room with a Vieux: rye whiskey and Pueblo Vieja blanco blend with bittersweet Amaro Nonino, with dashes of Angostura and orange bitters.

COTOGNA, Jackson Square/Financial District (490 Pacific Ave. at Montgomery, 415-775-8508)

As the more casual, affordable (but quite different) sister restaurant to neighboring Quince, Cotogna remains a haven for pasta and wood-fired pizzas. Since former bar manager Jason “Buffalo” LoGrasso left for Rich Table (below) at the beginning of the year, I’m pleased to say cocktails remain subtle and refreshing, with bartenders like Gitane’s Ramon Garcia ensuring talent behind the bar.

My recent favorite was Voodoo Child, a Tiki tribute combining Barbancourt white rum and SF’s rum of the year (at most noteworthy bars, it seems): Smith & Cross dark rum, lending its musty beauties to  Cointreau, a splash of St. Germain elderflower liquor and grapefruit juice, with a kick from house chili tincture.

EAT WITH: Cotogna’s impeccable sformato, a dreamy, savory pudding ($12), changes base vegetable (currently, it’s carrot). No matter the base, it’s a menu highlight.

Also a pleasure: wood-fired pizza ($17) topped with nettles, ricotta dura (aged ricotta from Puglia, Italy), Fior di Latte mozzarella, or thick, spaghetti-like black noodles – bigoli neri ($16) – tossed with octopus, oregano and hot pepper.

Finish with a cool dessert of stracciatella (chocolate chip) gelato formed into a cake, salted hazelnuts adding crunch.

RICH TABLE, Hayes Valley (199 Gough St. at Oak, 415-355-9085)

Returning yet again, Rich Table affirms its status as Best New Restaurant in the US nominee at the James Beard Awards. As he settles in, Bar Manager Jason “Buffalo” LoGrasso continues to create winning cocktails ($10 each), some highlights being from the dessert menu… one reason to save room for post-dinner imbibing.

Recent dessert cocktail beauties? An Orange Julius-like Hook Shot combining vodka, orange juice, cream, vanilla and honey meringue, or an herbaceous, chocolate-y twist on the Brandy Alexander… the Dandy Alexander, mixing Armagnac, Cardamaro (cardoon/thistle-based amaro), cream, mint, cocoa. A house flip (meaning there’s a whole egg in there), the 1Up, infuses porcini mushrooms in woody-fresh St. George Terroir Gin with a touch of Pedro Ximenez sherry for sweetness and cream for texture.

EAT WITH: While you can drink your dessert, Evan and Sarah Rich’s dessert menu ($9 each) is likewise a lesson in pastry chef excellence. Buttermilk panna cotta is sweetened by dried apricots, textured with honey oatmeal crumble and shreds of basil – I wanted it for breakfast. Sourdough bread pudding wowed, tart with pomelo curd and fresh wedges, crispy pistachio tuile standing in the pudding. Mint chocolate cream is dotted around a “sandwich” of milk mint ice cream, cool between earthy chocolate sable.

TWO SISTERS BAR & BOOKS, Hayes Valley (579 Hayes St. between Octavia & Laguna, 415-863-3655)

Tiny and perpetually crowded, the warm glow, jazz, and embracing welcome of Two Sisters Bar & Books feels like an idyllic European bar, with the added romance of book-lined walls, a window seat and vintage wallpaper. A bite and a drink from the small but thoughtful cocktail ($10 each) and spirits selection immediately soothes.

While a Harvest Manhattan strikes a tough-to-come-by balance of house pumpkin liqueur mixed with rye whiskey, vermouth and bitters without being too musky or heavy, The Dark Knight illuminates the bright side of winter combining gin and two Italian apéritifs, Campari and Aperol, with a tart-sweet, robust cherry balsamic vermouth. Dark nights immediately become brighter.

EAT WITH: Two Sisters’ short-but-oh-so-sweet food menu is as comforting as the cocktails (all under $15), no item more so than grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Their version ($12) uses St. George cheddar griddled with garlic butter (sigh), dunked in pimenton-scented tomato soup.

CHICAGO DRINKING, Winter 2013

Article and photos by Virginia Miller

My second return to Chicago in 6 months (and 4^th trip overall) was a freezing journey, warmed by fantastic friends and family, food and drink. A highlight was visiting funky, small Few Spirits distillery in Evanston with Master Distiller Paul Hletko. In my book, Few is the most exciting distillery to come out of Chicago, both in the gin and whiskey categories, and well worth a visit/tasting for spirits aficionados.

On the beer front, Goose Island headquarters are surprisingly commercial in a mall complex, but there are many rare pours on tap, unavailable outside the brewery. Popular Bar Deville might have been a bar I’d recommend with actual vintage bar and classic cocktails, but the screaming, body-to-body din on a weekend ensured I got out of there after one round. I’m sure it’s a far better experience on a weeknight.

Here are more Chicago standouts and newcomers in the bar world.

The AVIARY, West Loop

An evening at The Aviary is more experiential than about a certain drink or the setting. Having written about Aviary this past fall, the most forward-thinking and experimental “bar” in the country (there’s nothing like it overseas either), this time I’ll just share a few photos from my return visit to hint at the culinary and molecular influences (the Achatz touch) on Charles Joly’s ever-fascinating cocktail menu.

OWEN & ENGINE, Logan Square

Perhaps my favorite find this visit is Owen and Engine, a gastropub-esque restaurant/bar marked by Old World British elegance (dark woods, gold-framed paintings). Cicerone Elliot Beier (who is working on his master cicerone certification) was one the early cicerones in the world so his beer knowledge and selection (on tap, bottled and hand-pulled – “Real ales on the engine”) is impeccable.

But he’s also handy with the cocktails ($9-10), serving refreshers like Sage Advice (St. George Terroir Gin, lemon, ginger sage syrup, orange flower water, and a couple variations on a classic Pimm’s Cup (a lively one with Pimm’s No.1 Cup, Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade, lemon, pink peppercorn tincture, cucumber, mint, rose water). I was drawn most to the deep spiced smokiness of The Shrubbery: Monkey Shoulder Scotch, five spice shrub, lemon, Old Fashioned Bitters; and fascinated with the bitter, bright layers of Wounded Swede: Bols Genever, Bonal Quina, Malort (which some call the “most disgusting liquor of all time“), Cherry Heering (cherry liqueur), orange bitters.

While I’d return for a full meal, bar food is above-average, whether crispy mole pork rinds ($5) or Virginia peanuts ($3) tossed in Sriracha, Worcestershire and brown sugar. Fondness for the UK treat, Welsh rarebit means whenever I see it on a menu, I order it. Plus it’s divine with beer. O&E’s Welsh rarebit is rich blend of aged cheddar, Worcestershire, horseradish, and Young’s Chocolate Stout. There’s a soft pretzel glazed in mustard and Young’s Chocolate Stout ($6) to dip. I’d be hard pressed not to order this fantastic bar dish every visit. Desserts intrigue with savory notes, like parsnip pot de creme ($8), accented by blood orange sorbet, pistachio financier and parsnip chips.

THE SAVOY, Wicker Park

The newer Savoy is an ode to all things seafood and absinthe. I’d happily return to the back bar for coconut red curry mussels ($12) with ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime or fresh Hamachi crudo ($12) with grilled pineapple in red onion marmalade and sesame chili oil.

It’s a noteworthy bar because of creative cocktails and generous, Euro-centric wine, absinthe, spirits, bottled beer, and French cider lists. Cocktails ($12) are categorized under “Savoy Classics”, like the less common Corpse Reviver # 1 (# 2 is most often seen) mixing Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Tennyson Absinthe and Leopold’s apple cordial. A section of “Modern Cocktails” intrigues, particularly a tart, herbaceous, umami-laden In Yusho We Trust, a vibrant blend of Bols Genever, Fernet Branca, Greek liqueur Skinos Mastiha, bitter lemon, and a savory crushed nori (seafood) rim. I particularly enjoyed a refreshing Clandestine La Bleue: Clandestine Absinthe, Appel’s lemon cordial, coconut, egg white, ideally contrasted with lemon flake sea salt.

TRENCHERMEN, Wicker Park

Listening to live gypsy jazz while congregating around a massive, rectangular bar makes for a romantic date night in the historic Wicker Park building housing Trencherman. I didn’t try their food and not all cocktails ($11) enthralled, but I appreciate friendly bar staff and their classic sensibility and simplicity (like the two-ingredient Japanese cocktail of Cognac and orgeat – almond syrup).

Tona Palomino heads up the bar, known in its 10 month existence for their pine needle-infused Dickel whisky, mixed in a Pioneer cocktail with Campari and citrus. They go the carbonated route with cocktails like Mull It Over (spiced Dolin Blanc vermouth, apple cider, red wine), which came off a bit muddled in flavor. A straightfoward Italian Buck fares better (refreshing, bitter, balanced) with Cynar, lime and ginger beer.

The most interesting was a Valentine’s drink special (as I was there that night), Ay, Caramba! Infusing Angostura 1919 rum with banana, mixed with almond liqueur and fresh nutmeg, it was the ideal dessert: not too sweet, textured, creamy.

BILLY SUNDAY, Logan Square

Named after the itinerant American baseball player turned preacher, Billy Sunday was the hot (read: mobbed) new Chicago cocktail bar in my recent visit, having just opened one week before. Though still working out kinks, it showed the most promise in its tonics ($10) section with drinks like Kent: navy strength gin holding up nicely to house tonic, lemongrass, allspice and citrus. Against the Bliss is another refresher of Damrack gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon, and rose bitters, delightful with a melting scoop of tart rhubarb sherbet.

White dog often bores in a cocktail but works in In Word & Deed, foamy with egg white, sweet with quince, the dry tart of Ransom dry vermouth and finger lime tincture. More delicate than I would have liked, Son of the Crusta maintains a soft bitter from Cocchi Americano, though I wished for more lushness from Armagnac and Welsh nectar, balanced by lemon, rare Palo Cortado sherry, and Tempus Fugit’s fine Abbott’s Bitters. It feels first and foremost like a communal watering hole with the likes of Pisco Punch and snacks such as pigs ears ($7) and an SF trend in recent years (at places like Hog & Rocks, Blackbird): “things in jars” ($5-11), like smoked trout, rye and creme fraiche or duck confit, orange marmalade and oatmeal granola.

SABLE KITCHEN & BAR, Near North Side

Though properly tasting through Sable Kitchen and Bar cocktails ($13 each) in my last visit to Chicago a few months ago, I did the rarity for me: returned for drinks from one Chicago’s best bartenders, Mike Ryan, in Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar.

This visit, a couple notable cocktails were Long Road Home (Sutton Brown Label vermouth from SF, Mezcal Vida, agave, lemon), a smoky, bitter refresher, and Eli Wallach (Pueblo Viejo Reposado tequila, Angostura bitters, Green Chartreuse), a spirituous, herbal, clean cocktail. A treat this time around was starters like oozing Wisconsin fried cheese curds ($7/12) in spicy ketchup glaze, and bacon jam and brie cheese on toasted baguettes ($14). I’ve had many a bacon jam, but this one shines, served in a hot, mini-skillet with brie, then slathered over toasted, thick bread.

ACADIA, Near South

On a spaced out block of Chicago’s Near South neighborhood is the fine dining restaurant Acadia. The dining menu intrigues though pricey, while its sleek, white bar was a mellow respite on a Saturday night for cocktails from a thoughtful selection of small batch, artisanal spirits from around the globe. Cocktails ($13-14) are grouped in Forager’s and Hunter’s sections, the latter including classics like Whiskey Sours and Pimm’s Cups.

Cocktail ingredients fascinated but in a number of cases, didn’t quite coalesce into a standout whole. The style reminded me of the elegance and ingenuity of Carlo Splendorini’s cocktails at Michael Mina in SF, but not as seamless or memorable. One example is Rouge (meant to imitate a Napa Cabernet, served in a wine glass as Splendorini has often done over the years), it mixes Calvados Chateau du Breuil with essence (whether from tinctures, syrups or the like) of black currant, beet powder, eucalyptus, dill, coconut. I wish I could taste all those notes. Similarly with the smoky Maine Campfire mixes High West Rye, Los Nahuales mezcal, Cocchi Americano, a cedar, juniper, honey elixir and tobacco, juniper, cocoa nib tincture. The creative vision is striking, though I wish for less muted notes.

Acadia cocktails did shine in a lively twist on a classic Paloma: the Posh Paloma of Tequila Ocho Blanco, Combier Pamplemousse Rose and citrus intermingle with achiote, hibiscus, chipotle bitters. The star of the menu is Gins/Tonics/Limes, bringing dynamic flavor and a layered profile of complex Scottish gin, The Botanist, and house lemongrass tonic over kaffir lime and cucumber ice cubes.

BIG STAR, Bucktown

Big Star needs no introduction in Chicago, with rowdy, packed crowds, late night hours and white light strewn front patio. The now common combo of American whiskey and tequila with simple cocktails ($7) like palomas, margaritas and bucks is not rare and noisy throngs are a turn off for those of us who like to savor their drinks with friends and conversation. But Big Star won me over with friendly, tattooed, mustachioed staff, consistently checking in to see how we were doing despite the mobs lining the bar. That alone deserves mention. Plus, a simple whiskey and root beer tastes pretty great at 2am with a greasy bowl of melting hot queso fundido ($8), dotted with chorizo and rajas poblano peppers.

COCKTAILS & BITES:
Mezcal & Coffee, G&Ts & Crudo,
Artful Salads & Cilantro Daiquiris

Article and Photos by Virginia Miller

In my endless treks ’round the city for the best partnerships of drink and food, here are a few notable current menu offerings:

COMSTOCK SALOON, North Beach (155 Columbus Ave. at Pacific, 415-617-0071) www.comstocksaloon.com

Easily one of our city’s great bars, Comstock Saloon maintains historical reverence to SF’s Barbary Coast days without being stuffy. Old World decor, live jazz and bartenders who know how to make a proper cocktail make it one of the most blessedly grown-up watering holes, particularly in partying North Beach. If this weren’t enough, it’s a top notch restaurant. Chef Carlo Espinas churns out dishes better than your typical gastropub/”upscale comfort food” fare.

Mostly classic cocktails ($8-12) are often best as “Barkeep’s Whimsy” ($12), like a gorgeous Smith & Cross Sour, showing off the musky-elegant-spice notes of Smith & Cross rum with lemon, sugar and frothy egg white.

More whimsy choices from the talented Ethan Terry (here until Heaven’s Dog, where he’s Bar Supervisor, reopens): a stunner of smoky mezcal weaving with Firelit Coffee liqueur, Oloroso sherry and orange bitters; or a texture from the oil of two lemon peels with rye, Yellow Chartreuse and apricot brandy. Menu classics remain, like the ever-drinkable Cherry Bounce (bourbon, cherry brandy, lemon, Angostura, Champagne) or the recently added, but classic Charles H. Baker Zeinie: Cognac, pineapple gum syrup, lime, maraschino liqueur and Angostura bitters.

EAT: I can’t resist a good pretzel ($6)… and this one’s great. With whole grain mustard and cheddar mayo, it’s a worthy bar snack. Unless we’re talking melting soft, mashed potato fritters ($9) dipped in “loaded baked potato dip” (you got it: essence of bacon and chives in sour cream – I had to ask for more). Salads are refined yet comforting, whether the austere green of raw kale ($9) tossed with little gems, Parmesan and watermelon radishes in bright lemon dressing, or chunks of fresh crabmeat and smoked trout in a lentil, baby chicories salad ($12).

Toasts with silky burrata and pickled cherries ($14) on a frisee bed, similarly hit fresh-but-gratifying notes. Good thing I can contrast that healthy eating with bacon-wrapped meatloaf ($16) bearing a caramelized “skin” of ridiculously fine house ketchup (brown sugar, tomato, chili, to name a few ingredients) alongside dreamy coleslaw.

BRASSIERE S&P, Financial District (Mandarin Oriental, 222 Sansome at Pine St., 415-986-2020)

Consider leisurely Brasserie S&P, inside the Mandarin Oriental, your gin and tonic haven. But not just any G&T. Though cocktails fall on the pricey hotel side ($12-16, $13 for G&Ts), Beverage Manager Priscilla Young manages a robust gin collection, blends tonic waters in house, and presents mix-and-match G&T options via iPad to diners and drinkers.

Her sommelier’s palate (yes, she’s the whole package) ensures tonics align with botanical profiles of gins like local Old World Spirits‘ Blade Gin, its Asian botanicals dancing with Young’s citrus-tinged Sensei #1 tonic, orange, and Thai chilies. There’s an earthier G&T of St. George’s Dry Rye Gin poured with the same tonic, orange, and black pepper. In a “Dirty” G&T, Scottish Botanist Gin flows with celery brine and Q Tonic, decorated with salt pepper rim. Then there’s an aged G&T using Old World’s Rusty Blade gin with Young’s Sensei saffron tonic and burnt orange. Outside of G&Ts, Fresno chilis and bacon make the Diablo’s Whisper a refreshingly savory cocktail of Don Julio reposado tequila, blackcurrant hibiscus, and lime.

EAT: Conveniently open 11am-11pm, The Bar at Brasserie S&P is an all day, downtown drink option, though it’s also a blessedly non-trendy, power lunch spot. Light, clean kanpachi crudo ($17) nods to Hawaii with Kona fish and macadamia nuts, drizzled in sesame oil and Fresno chilis. Also light yet laden with Dungeness crab is a Louie salad ($19) stacked with butter lettuce, sieved egg and avocado. I often glaze over chicken, but Mary’s chicken paillard ($18) is a highlight breaded in anchovy garlic crumbs over marcona almond pesto.

Bonus: A new (and genius) offering is mini-martinis available all day at $5, like First Word, a twist on a classic Last Word cocktail, with Beefeater Gin, Green Chartreuse, lime and grapefruit. Imbibing guilt free, the diminutive size makes you want to order another.

CHAMBERS, Tenderloin (601 Eddy St. at Larkin, 415-829-2316)

Rock star cool and sexy hideaway describe Chambers record-lined dining room, one of the most striking in the city. Thankfully, style doesn’t infer lack of substance. Cocktails ($11) are improved from early days when they opened in 2011. Straightforward and unfussy, the drinks are well made and thirst-quenching. Playing off one of THE greats, a Whiskey Sour, their Whisky Cider Sour combines house-made cider, whisky, egg and fresh-grated nutmeg. A garden-fresh Cilantro Daiquiri blends Bacardi silver rum, Cointreau, and lime with plenty of muddled cilantro.

EAT: Appreciating Executive Chef Trevor Ogden‘s unique presentation of smoked fish (salmon) in the past, slowly smoking over a grate tableside. Despite pork belly burnout years ago, I hadn’t tried similarly smoking pork belly ($13) until recently, soft fat releasing its aromas as it burns before you, accompanied by Early Girl tomato kimchee and pickled sweet peppers. How could I resist? While a tai snapper entree ($24) was surprisingly bland despite a smear of black garlic soubise, Meyer lemon and yuzu koshu, salads unexpectedly steal the show.

Winter is exemplified in an artistic display of fuyu persimmons ($10) happily partnered with burrata, miners lettuce and toasted oat toffee, dotted with Angostura bitters (you heard right), olive oil, sea salt, and garam masala spices. Salade Lyonnaise ($12) is artfully deconstructed: grapefruit wedges, pork biscotti, lardons (thin strips of pork fat) and candied pomelo splay out spoke-like from a sous vide egg resting atop a mound of frisée in the center.

COCKTAILS & BITES for a JANUARY NIGHT

Article and Photos by Virginia Miller

Though Trick Dog is the just-opened hot cocktail/food destination of the moment (my my early word here), slipping in at the bar at these three restaurants, ranging from elegant to festive, offers some of SF’s best cocktails with incredible food.

It’s impossible to get a reservation at Rich Table, one of the most buzzed about restaurants in the country right now, but I find seats at the bar open up often on a Monday – and arriving when they open at 5:30pm is an ideal time to go.

RICH TABLE, Hayes Valley (199 Gough St. at Oak, 415-355-9085)

Returning yet again, Rich Table is as satisfying as it was in first opening months. With new bar manager Jason “Buffalo” LoGrasso (from Quince and Cotogna), already lovely cocktails expand from 4-5 offerings to 7 on the regular and 4 on the dessert menu. After tasting every LoGrasso cocktail ($10), it’s official: I’m in love with the Carnegie Martini. Inspiration is genius – a pastrami sandwich from Carnegie Deli, where my Dad took me for my first Reuben as a teenager. LoGrasso combines elements of the ultimate sandwich into a clean, refreshing whole. Wisely using St. George’s Dry Rye Gin as a base, caraway comes in the form of Combier’s Doppelt Kummel Extra liqueur, an aromatic caraway liqueur redolent of cumin. He adds drops of mustard oil and a pickle, causing salivation and pastrami cravings.

Strong points including a beautifully musty Shivered Timbers, a lively red drink with pomegranate touched by ginger and cinnamon, evoking rhum agricole but using Smith & Cross Pot Still Rum. This cocktail will likely make way for a crowd-pleasing rum cocktail featuring Denizen rum, honey, lime, and Pur Spice liqueur. Despite not being a vodka drinker, my top aperitif here might be Figaro Chain, a bright, appetite-stimulant of Swan’s Neck vodka, Averna, lemon and ginger. Dessert cocktails shine. Rich Coffee is a harmonious blend of Fernet, Sightglass coffee and pistachio cream, while the Carthusian Hot Cocoa sings with chocolate, Green Chartreuse, mint and pineapple marshmallow, simultaneously herbal, earthy and sweet.

EAT WITH: My new obsession on the Rich Table menu: doughy, savory doughnuts ($7) topped with shaved, dried porcini, the clincher being thick raclette dipping sauce. I’d call this “bite” one of the best new menu additions. An amuse bouche named “Dirty Hippie” elevates “granola” to to gourmet with cool buttermilk panna cotta doused in pumpkin seeds, sprouts and spices. Delicate pickled herring ($13) is unusually paired with avocado, coconut cream and tortilla crisps. Divine tajarin ($27) egg noodles (a Piedmont pasta style) dissolve in the mouth, melting in house cultured butter under shaved Perigord black truffles. Sigh.

MICHAEL MINA, Financial District (252 California St. between Front & Battery, 415-397-9222)

Since his former days at Gitane and years at Michelin-starred Michael Mina, Carlo Splendorini has crafted some of the most elegant, balanced cocktails not merely in San Francisco, but anywhere. In my travels sampling cocktails the world over, it’s rare to experience the precision and finesse Splendorini brings to drinks ($11-14). Prime example: the way Barrel aged Bols Genever and Beefeater Gin seamlessly weave with piney notes of Clear Creek Douglas Fir eau de vie, the earthiness of sencha green tea, brightened by the tart of yuzu, lemon and grapefruit foam. This combination could easily go wrong but mixed by Splendorini, it’s exquisitely layered. Similarly, Yamazaki 12 year Japanese whisky, chamomile tea and a spoonful of Yellow Chartreuse over a shiso leaf dramatically cast against a giant ice cube in a wine glass make a striking sipper. A third new drink of note also showcases Japanese whisky, in this case Hibiki 12 year, with, believe it or not, wine: Grenache/Syrah and a sweet, late harvest Cabernet. If it’s in stock, sample their Mina Blend Bourbon, a limited edition six-year-old Willett bourbon (also available at RN74).

EAT WITH: Try oysters brilliantly accented by drink sauces (Pimm’s Cup, Elderflower Fizz, Bloody Mary) instead of the usual vinegar and lemon, or a meaty Monterey bay abalone ($21) grilled over shiitakes, tokyo turnips, mirin-scented rice, in a miso broth (I’ve seen abalone haters convert on this one). An amuse bouche of grilled cheese and chestnut soup should be a bar menu fixture. For a more affordable bar bite, Mina’s signature ahi tuna tartare starter ($19) doused in ancho chile, sesame oil and mint is $10 during happy hour.

HOG & ROCKS, Mission (3431 19th Street between San Carlos & Mission, 415-550-8627)

With new chef Robin Song on board a couple months ago at Hog & Rocks (formerly at Haven and Plum), there are elevated touches to Hog & Rocks ever approachable food, a prime example being a special of perch crudo ($14), delicate with nasturtium, puffed rice, minced Manila clams and blood orange. This suits Bar Manager Michael Lazar’s robust yet refined cocktails just fine. Chef Song’s amuse bouche of buckwheat gougeres topped with salty lardo should be a menu fixture. Gougeres dissolve under warm, melting lardo fat, divine with Lazar’s Miller’s Meyer ($11), a vivid winter cocktail of Martin Miller’s Gin, Meyer lemon syrup (think fresh juice vs. simple syrup), and herbaceous Elisir M.P. Roux liqueur lending whispers of anise, verbena and lavender.

A refreshing Cider Press Buck ($11) showcases one of the most edible garnishes around: a spiced Arkansas black apple (preserved via Cryovac®). This delicious garnish evolves with the seasons, atop Old Fitzgerald bourbon, lime, ginger and Wandering Aengus dry pear cider, confirming the current cider craze. The Buck pairs with H&R’s always pleasurable ham platters ($16). Song has chosen a few I haven’t seen on H&R’s ham menu before: Monte Nevado Jamon Serrano from Spain, aged 15 months, served with candied almonds; Greci & Foizani Proscuitto from Italy, aged 24 months, served with house ricotta; and a stunningly smoky ham exemplifying all I love best in Southern hams, Edwards Surryano from Virginia, aged 16 months, served with strawberry mostarda.

My drink of choice is house Willett bourbon, a bracing 130 proof but cut with water. Rye spice and sweet corn notes meld perfectly in Lazar’s Old Fashioned with orange and Angostura bitters.

ENTER TRICK DOG

Photos and article by Virginia Miller

TRICK DOG, 3010 20th Street at Florida, 415-471-2999, open 3pm-2am daily (brunch coming soon)

The Bon Vivants (Josh Harris, Scott Baird, Jason Henton) need little introduction in the drink world, from humanitarian work with their Pig & Punch events (they’re featured in the Jan./Feb. 2013 issue of Imbibe magazine) to their unforgettable Bon Vivants’ parties.

Last Sunday, I walked through the unfinished space of their long-awaited bar Trick Dog. Though it appeared there was much left to be done, in 24 short hours the bar was looking all grown up and open for business, welcoming a slew of early birds and industry folk at 3pm on January 7th.

Trick Dog buzz is already at fever pitch. The two-level space, designed by the Bon Vivants (they recently launched The Bon Vivants Design–Build) along with Wylie Price Design, boasts thoughtful details like iron bannisters from the original Warfield and a seating area upstairs overlooking the action for those who want to sit and dine.

The space is both industrial and warm, named after the vintage trick dog piggy banks spotted around the bar.

While cocktails are the Vivants’ expertise, listed on a brilliant menu resembling a Pantone paint color guide/swatch (designed by Camille Robles/Ramble & Ride), there’s food from Chef Chester Watson, like a salt cod-wrapped Scotch egg and dreamy, minty Fernet ice cream laden with toasted cacao nibs. Soon I will have worked my way through the menus but for opening day, I tasted half of the 13 Pantone color-named cocktails ($10-$12), each a winner. There’s also $8 highballs (like amaro & Moxie soda), $7 alcohol-free drinks, $35 punches to share, and $8 “Neat with a Side” options, like George Dickel #12 Tennessee whiskey with dill pickle gelée.

Behind the bar, lined with Vivants’-designed sliding bottle shelves, a tight team of bartenders is already busy attending to opening week crowds. Here are my opening day highlights and cocktails in photos.

COCKTAILS & BITES:
Ringing in 2013 with Notable New Pairings

Article & Photos by Virginia Miller

A celebratory or comforting drink is just what we crave at this time of year. With an excellent bite? Even better. Here’s a few of the most noteworthy drinks, winter cocktail menus and dishes in SF as 2012 passes into 2013.

AME, SoMa (689 Mission St. at 3rd St. in the St. Regis Hotel, 415-284-4040)

It’s not a cocktail, and its blowfish base has long been known as dangerous… but in skilled hands, is entirely safe. Ame Restaurant in The St. Regis is serving a Fugu (Blowfish) Fin Sake, the most adventurous drink on order this winter. Yes, it’s infused with an actual toasted fugu fin resting in the bottom of a ceramic mug ($15 for 6 oz.) filled with warm Honjozo-style “Karatamba” sake from Japan’s Hyogo prefecture. In Japan, tora fugu is considered to be of the highest quality, the fins traditionally roasted and steeped in warm sake. I couldn’t miss a chance to taste this rarity when it came on the menu a few weeks ago, available through February 2013. On a brisk, clear winter’s night, it warmed me from inside with rich, layered, funky, even umami, notes.

EAT WITH: Sit at Ame’s small bar with a mug of blowfish fin sake accompanied by Ame’s now classic Lissa’s Staff Meal ($16.50), an artful bowl of cuttlefish noodles, appropriate soft and muscly, tossed with brightly fresh sea urchin and quail egg in soy and wasabi.

BLACKBIRD, Castro (2124 Market St. between Church & Sanchez, 415-503-0630)

Launched on December 17, Blackbird’s winter menu easily offers the most sophisticated, satisfying cocktails in the Castro. Owner Shawn Vergara has been filling this needed niche on Market Street since opening Blackbird in 2009. This brand new menu features some of their best drinks yet.

I adore Italy’s sexy, sparkling red wine, Lambrusco. Here it’s a vibrant aperitif with pear-infused gin in Poached Pear ($8), balanced by honey and lemon. Crimson King ($9) is another rosy, cool sipper of hibiscus-infused brandy, house pistachio orgeat, cranberry and lemon. My tops on the new menu just might be Harvest Moon ($10), it’s a Bols Genever and Nocino (green walnut liqueur) base, sweetened with maple and pumpkin butter, balanced by lemon and Angostura bitters, softened with egg whites.

EAT WITH: Blackbird’s six different bar jars, smeared on crispy crackers, are playful snacks, whether smoked trout or deviled ham jars. I lean towards the pimento cheese jar laden with piquillo peppers and cheddar.

15 ROMOLO, North Beach (15 Romolo Place at Broadway, 415-398-1359)

Running through the first week of January, 15 Romolo‘s Sherry Christmas! explores the wonders of sherry in cocktails that don’t taste merely of sherry. The impressive range is no surprise from what has consistently remained one of the best cocktail menus in San Francisco – with damn great food, too. The menu features all sherry styles, from fino to oloroso, acting as shining star or subtle unifier. Manzanilla sherry subtly backs gin in Gardner’s Delight ($10) next to celery bitters, Dolin blanc vermouth, lemon and a house thyme shrub… a lively “delight”. White Elephant ($9) illumines white port, sherry vinegar and spiced liqueur with manzanilla sherry, a dash of absinthe tying this refresher together. Typically, when I see rye whiskey, Cynar (one of my favorite classic Italian bitter aperitifs) and the likes of amontillado sherry together, I get a musky, fall-spiced drink.

In the case of a Solstice Sour ($10), these elements are mixed with a light hand, touched with lemon and cinnamon syrup, a cocktail that manages to capture winter in an almost spring-like way. Here’s hoping these sherry beauties stay on past January.

EAT WITH: Chef Justin Deering added on a few Spanish inspired dishes to accompany sherry cocktails or half bottles of sherry, like gambas a la plancha (shrimp in garlic and lemon), juicy albondigas (beef-pork meatballs), or sherried mushrooms ($5-8).

JASPER’S CORNER TAP, Downtown/Union Square (401 Taylor Street at O’Farrell, 415-775-7979)

Bar Manager Kevin Diedrich and crew produced another all-star cocktail menu this season at Jasper’s Corner Tap. One of the most unusually fun, savory drinks you’ll run into anywhere is Diedrich’s Genki ($13), inspired by a dish he recently had at Makoto in DC.  With a base of Del Maguey Vida Mezcal balanced by Partida Blanco tequila and Combier orange liqueur, Diedrich adds Togarashi syrup, lime, egg white and Matcha salt. Genki is simultaneously spicy, perky, refreshing.

Though there’s many a beauty (don’t miss the creamy-but-light, floral Rum Shaker – $10 – seamlessly mixing Bacardi 8 Rum, Shipyard Pumpkin Ale, lime, pumpkin syrup, cream, egg white, orange flower water), one of the most playful drinks on the current menu is a bottled Here Comes the Fuzz! ($11). Charred peach is infused in Jasper’s house bourbon, bottled with Manzanilla sherry (sherry dominates this season!), honey, lemon, pomegranate molasses, peach bitters and Angostura Bitters. Fizzy and vivacious, charred peaches and sherry imbue a gorgeous, nutty hue.

EAT WITH: With the invigorating drinks above, a trio of deviled eggs ($8 or $4 each) is appropriately light but satisfying.

Though deviled eggs seem to be everywhere the last couple years, this trio stays fun with these flavors:  heirloom caprese, ”Caesar salad”, chipotle-romesco.