Aromatherapy devotees trust citrus oils and essences to energize and uplift spirits -- two qualities guaranteed to brighten any winter day or night. So why not imbibe those citrusy elements in a cocktail, like “Rest My Ruby Rest” at 5Church Atlanta in Midtown. Lead bartender Keyatta Mincey dry shakes a mix of Reposado Patrón tequila, hibiscus syrup, lemon juice, Peychaud’s bitters, 18.21 hibiscus bitters and egg white, reshakes with ice and double-strains the works into a vintage-style glass. Expressed lemon peel and a hibiscus bloom garnish this glass of Florida-ish sunshine.
Orange? Star anise? Aria crafts its mesmerizing Shades of Orange cocktail using Ramazzotti, a digestif amaro created in Milan, Italy by Ausano Ramazzotti in 1815 from a secret, all-natural blend of 33 herbs and roots. Saffron gin, honey and lemon play along with this bright and tony tonic.
Aria’s bartenders sure know how to mix a mean cocktail! The Cabrio Tour
is handcrafted with brandy, sloe gin, green chartreuse and egg white
and is featured on the new spring cocktail menu. Smooth and frothy, this
mixology masterpiece is the perfect start to a night on the town. Hurry in to snag a seat at the bar, then savor every second. Make dinner reservations online.
Get your kicks on Route 66, but for KYX, pull up to the bar at Gypsy Kitchen in Buckhead. Wanting to create a distinctly Spanish cocktail to complement Gypsy Kitchen fare, Garn McCown marries Kentucky bourbon (KY) with East India Lustau sherry from the Jerez (also known as Xerez) region of Spain (X) for KYX ($12). The family tree becomes even more interesting with a hand-blended mix of quince, lemon, sugar and a touch of black walnut bitters punctuated by a flamed lemon peel for a hint of smokiness.
Tin Lizzy’s Cantina introduced Senor Mojito to Senorita Margarita, and they hit it off so well a Margarit-O was born. The hybrid mixes the best of both cocktails: 1800 Silver, Agavero orange liqueur, house-made mint simple syrup and sour mix. Join the family for $8 a glass, $29 for a pitcher.
While summer is made for mojitos, winter’s bluster musters up recipes to Warm Up with a Cup o’ Cheer. Our Pinterest board steams with drinks to sip around the fireplace and Harry Potter cocktails, hot buttered rums and Jamies, German mulled wine, Crock-Pot cranberry cider and hot chocolate gussied up with amaretto, mint, pumpkin and more. Winter wedding? Create a hot chocolate bar for your guests!
Article 14 holds The Key to the Holidays, and it comes in a glass. The holiday-themed old fashioned jingles together Larceny bourbon, apple liqueur and rich “Holiday” syrup ($12). Come on over and don’t bother ringing the bell, the door to holiday merriment is already wide open.
Himitsu, the new companion luxury lounge for
popular Buckhead restaurant Umi, is now open at 3050 Peachtree Road.
Co-owners Farshid Arshid and Charlie Hendon are samurai-serious about their
devotion to high-end service and classic Japanese bartending, right down to the
last individually embossed piece of crystal-clear ice. Atlanta cocktail artisan
T. Fable Jeon takes the shaker as director to execute an inventive array of
libations from the mind of Himitsu creative director Shingo Gokan. A lengthy
libation list features an extensive sake collection, shōchū, cocktails and
wine, plus a menu of small dishes and desserts. To ensure an exclusive
experience, reservations are required to receive a code to enter the 60-seat,
two-level Himitsu. Reservations can be made by emailing hello@puraibeto.com.
Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 7 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
The Southern Gentleman’s Grit and Grace cocktail ($10) stands tall with a strong countenance of rye gentled by lemon, apricot liqueur and mint. If you’re raised in the South, or even if not, do declare, “I’ll have one, please and thank you.”
Parched on Peachtree? Relief is coming -- straight up. Atlanta cocktail artisan T. Fable Jeon takes the shaker as director of Himitsu, the upscale Japanese-inspired lounge from the team behind Umi in Buckhead. Jeon will oversee and execute creative director Shingo Gokan’s signature beverage program. Catch a glimpse of the pimento-stuffed-cocktail-olive-speared-with-a-plastic-cocktail-sword-pic tattoo on the forearm of this cocktail craftsman as he pours Japanese showmanship, Southern culture and classic American barkeeping into his shaker. His handiwork has already stimulated area cocktail culture at Sound Table, The Pinewood Tippling Room and Guy Wong’s Le Fat. Tattooed arm aside, it’s no wonder Beverage Media magazine name Jeon one of 10 Mixologists to Watch in 2011.
Another tip-able testimony to the what's-old-is-new-again truism is the Presidential Seal, cocktail of the month at Article 14. A couple of good drinking stories here. Sometimes known as the Seelbach, the libation has glamorous beginnings, being concocted in pre-Prohibition days for high rollers at the Seelbach Hotel (now Seelbach Hilton) in Louisville, Kentucky. Jefferson's Very Small Batch Kentucky bourbon plays a very big part in Article 14's updated rendition. In the Presidential Seal, this bourbon, distilled in "ridiculously small batches," builds a highly drinkable dossier along with Pierre Ferrand dry curacao, Angostura and Peychaud's bitters and Champagne. Distillery founder Trey Zoeller and his dad Chet chose Thomas Jefferson to personify their small batches based on Jefferson's sense of curiosity. Perhaps if Article 14 had been around back in the day, President Jefferson would have imbibed of such and placed his seal of approval on this spirituous, new traditionalist cocktail.
Precious in taste and price, the Barrel of Jewels cocktail at Article 14 might be "Atlanta's Most Expensive Cocktail" at $99. Lift a crystal whiskey glass to your lips and sip the power of Louis XIII Cognac, Lock, Stock & Barrel straight rye whiskey, Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth, St Germain and bitters. You keep the gem of a memory. Article 14 keeps the crystal.
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| Photo by Eduardo Simeon |
Seven Lamps bartender Michael Jones has been crowned the 2013 Merlet Sidecar Cocktail champion at this year's "Tales of the Cocktail" event in New Orleans on July 20. There was stiff competition from bartenders who were asked to create two different drinks using Merlet Cognac and another spirit from the Merlet collection - one celebrating the classic spirit of the sidecar and the other a drink entirely of their own creation. Merlet liqueurs took center stage in Jones' winning drinkings - the Cuvee du Merlet and the Brennus Suppressor #3 - earning him and a guest a trip to Paris and the Borderies/Fins Bois French countryside area of Cognac to visit the Merlet distillery, spend time with the Merlet family and learn how to distill Cognac. Congratulations, Michael!
There is no shame in dedicating an entire day to food, and
International Sushi Day is here to prove that. Celebrate this scrumptious
holiday on Tuesday, June 18 by rolling the crew over to RA Sushi Bar Restaurant. Rejoice in
sushi bliss with signature items like the Tootsy Maki, pictured above, or the
Mango Lobster Roll. Pair it with a drink from the cocktail menu and celebrate
all night long!
Watermelons are rolling into RA Sushi Bar Restaurant for their refreshing cocktail and entrée pairing ($18). Watermelon kiwi shrimp piles shrimp atop layers of watermelon, kiwi, orange slices and lychee ($10). For the ultimate match try the watermelon margarita, an exotic fusion of Patron Silver tequila and Cointreau orange liqueur with fresh watermelon, lime juice and just a dash of Grand Marnier ($8).
New Holland Brewing Company has perfected their bubbly,
beer-kissed cocktails and is eager to show them off. Grab a seat on the patio
at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar on Wednesday, May 29 to taste all of their
summery spirits. Chef Andrew Smith of Atkins Park ensures that no drinker goes
hungry with a menu of bites that pair perfectly with its brewed counterpart.
There are plenty of warm and downright hot spring and summer days ahead in Atlanta, and our forecast calls for refreshing new dishes to help us get through them. Luckily, Marlow's Tavern is
on point with new menu items that will satiate even our appetites. Look for fresh lump crab and lobster dip
with toasty pita points ($10.50); Peking duck sliders with hoisin BBQ duck,
pickled julienne vegetables and fresh cilantro ($9); the Tavern salad with
field greens, Granny Smith apple, toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds with
sweet Gorgonzola dressing ($6); a "house-made" black bean veggie
burger with house-pickled beets on a whole wheat bun ($8); pan-seared Carolina
trout with quinoa fried rice, snow pea shoots, scallion, cabbage, carrot and
soy glaze ($17); pineapple upside-down cake with warm maple and vanilla syrup,
hand-scooped vanilla ice cream and crisp pineapple ($6) and more. Summery
cocktails include the Hemingway Hand Shake, a chilled combination of
strawberry-infused Denizen rum, fresh lime and Royal Rose Cardamom syrup; or
the Gin Job crisply made with Hendrick's Gin, cucumber, basil syrup, fresh
lemon and lime juice and a splash of tonic. Hot weather wonders from the wine and
beer list include Fritz Zimmer Riesling, Chateau Laulerie Malbec, Concordia
Rioja, Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale, Ommegang Rare Vos and Anchor Liberty Ale.
Shop for your cocktail glass as well as for your plate at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. At 10 a.m. this Saturday, June 9, JCT. Kitchen & Bar Mixologist Lara Creasy demos how to concoct garden-fresh libations. Bet you want to reach into the screen and pluck out her Farmer Tom's Collins cocktail, a refreshing mix of Farmer's Organic Gin, lemon, herbsaint, fresh herbs and soda.
