Drinks on the Road, San Francisco, Part I: Blackbird

I recently was lucky enough to spend a short two days (not lucky cause it was short, but lucky in that I was able to go at all) in San Francisco, checking out a few snazzy bars and seeing some snazzy people. And having some Mexican food with my pals Mike and Meredith. But here, cause in theory this is a blog about booze and drinks, I’m gonna focus mostly on pictures of the drinks I had, starting with ones had at Blackbird. From what I’ve gathered, Blackbird is sort-a new, though it had a very comfortable neighborhood bar feel and a bunch of stuffed blackbirds above the wooden and glass shelves behind the bar. I don’t want the term “neighborhood” to confuse you though, into thinking the drinks weren’t crafted with care. Cause they were, and then some, by a bartender named Matt Grippo (and a couple other nice fellas whose names I missed). The menu was scripted on a long big scroll-of-sorts behind the bar (in two spots), and I picked a Knee Slapper off of it:

The Knee Slapper (well-named, as most drinks there) was a combination of Four Roses, Old Overholt rye, Averna, Gran Classico, and, interestingly, crème de cacao. It’s rare to see a doubling of the base spirits, and rarer still to see the crème de cacao thrown into a mix of brown boozes, but the end result was very tasty, rich, and layered with flavor and herbal notes. Dreamy stuff. By the time I ended up with a second drink, the Blackbird was hoppin’. It was a Saturday night, so expected, but I haven’t been in a spot that busy for a few, oh, years probably (hey, I’m old). It was four deep across the whole bar at one point. And here’s what was amazing: Matt kept his easy-going and affable demeanor the whole time, even when people asked incredibly silly things (one order: “can I get four beers, a Martini, and some whiskey?” With no specifics at all). And, during the madness, the drinks were still put together perfectly, and including an off-menu drink he made for me  (maybe it was going to be on the next menu) with no name – or no name I remember. It was a wildly intriguing mixture as well: Enchanto pisco, Calpico (an uncarbonated Japanese milky soft drink), cucumber, lemon, orgeat, and a rose water rinse. That is out there friends. But you know what? It all came together into a refreshing, tangy, vegetal, smooth hit:

All-in-all, a fantastic spot, Blackbird. I’d definitely return in a heartbeat. It’s the kind of place where you could get the fancy cocktails made in the modern masterful manner, but also order a High Life if you wanted – as long as you paid cash:

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Get the Drink Seattle App (It’s Like Having Me on Your Phone)

If you live in Seattle, near Seattle, or are ever coming to visit Seattle, or just like to hear me go on about bars I love, then listen up: Drink Seattle: A Spirited Journey Through Seattle Bars and Cocktails with A.J. Rathbun is the app for you. It basically means you won’t miss a lounge, bar, distillery, or dive that’s worth sitting down and sipping within. It gives you a great drink in nearly every neighborhood, specific cocktail picks for each place, and a host of insights on individual bar personalities. Each recommended establishment features a detailed review, notes on what to order, and great photos and tips for having the best experience you can. And the app has all those features you expect –GPS, one-touch dialing, and turn-by-turn directions – and vital info like business hours, websites, etc. And, awesomely, the app is updated frequently so you stay abreast of all the top cocktail bars, worthy whistle-wetters, divetasticos, unmissable distilleries, cocktail supply shops, and believe-it-or-not beer shops. All of that. Here are some pictures, too, to tempt you:

So, wait no longer, get the Drink Seattle app today: http://bit.ly/DrinkSeattleApp.

PS: Available for iPhone and iPad!

PPS: Thanks!

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What I’m Drinking: Meletti Anisette

I was in Italy recently (and yet still, thanks to the wonders of modern blogging, had posts up. Cause that’s how much I care. A whole lot), which isn’t too much of surprise for those who know me. I used to live there (detailed in detail on the Six Months in Italy blog), and have pals and favorite restaurants to visit when I go, as well as intriguing amaros and liqueurs and wines to track down and artistic sites and vistas to see. All that. This last time, I visited a city in Le Marche called Ascoli Piceno for the first time. It’s an off-the-tourist-track kind of a place by and large, but it has a lovely city center, all made of travertine, and some very lovely churches, and a history of pottery making. All good stuff. But perhaps best of all, it’s where the Meletti company is, a company known for making delicious imbibables. I was introduced to their products by the dashing Spirits Director at Vinum Importing, Andrew Bohrer (who also writes the blog Cask Strength). What I didn’t know, though, until getting to Ascoli Piceno, was how amazing the Meletti Café is.

It sits right on the corner (in the below shot, back right) of the city center I mentioned, which is known as the Piazza del Popolo, and which is one of the prettiest piazza’s I’ve been in:

After visiting it, I think I can say with some authority (considering just how many bars, lounges, watering holes, etc that I’ve been in) that Café Meletti is an awesome bar to spend a few afternoon hours within (in Italy cafés seem like local bars to me, as there is usually as much tipsy drinking as coffee drinking). I’d even go out on a tipsy limb and say one of the world’s best. It has an art deco-y style with remarkable tabletops:

interiors:

and a beautiful bar manned by charming and helpful bartenders:

 I ordered a Meletti Anisette, which is the most well-known of the Meletti offerings, and which is the finest anisette available anywhere. It has a layered anise flavor and an underlying sweetness that tastes pure and natural; it’s a liqueur that’s meant to be savored and not shot back, and one that mixes like a champion dancer into cocktails – but which has to be had solo (or with three very small additions) to be completely understood. I got it over a few ice cubes, and was going to have it just like that, until a gracious older Italian gentleman reached over and added three espresso beans for me. These are the “mosche” or flies, and not only add a faint pleasant zing to the flavor, but also represent health, happiness, and prosperity.

All of which I’m for. I took the Meletti Anisette outside to the tables there, and sipped it while watching the people stroll the piazza. It was an experience I’m darn glad to have had, and one I suggest you try, if you get the chance (and if you can’t get to Ascoli Piceno, then pick up a bottle of Meletti and have it on your back porch).

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What I’m Drinking: A Cold Peroni

So, I’m in Italy. And since it’s springtime, and sunny, I’m sitting outside of Bar Pina (which is outside of Umbertide), one of the finest spots anywhere to sit in the sun and have a beer. I mean, it’s in Italy. Which means that this Friday Night Cocktail isn’t as fancy as others, but I wouldn’t trade it for any of them. And if you want to feel jealous about it all, well, that’s up to you. But a better impulse might be for you to just come on over to Pina your-own-self. It’s pretty darn fun.

PS: Yeah, Dr. Strange drinks with me when I’m at Pina. And you thought it couldn’t get any better.

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Cocktail Talk: The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Until recently, I’d never read the Friends of Eddie Coyle. Maybe you haven’t either? But maybe you don’t read the pulps and mysteries like me. So, maybe it’s not as odd, since this book is a classic of sorts, remarkable for its dialogue-focused narrative drive and spot-on look into Boston-area criminals, including the very-friendless and weaselish Eddie Coyle, and crime-fighters (not the caped kind of course). It took me a bit to get rolling with it just because it’s so much of a talking-scene-to-talking-scene affair, and you have to keep up with names to keep up with plot. But once you dig in, you dig in and feel completely a part of the life. Outside of the in the below quote, cause I’d never order a vodka Martini. But still . . .

At five minutes of six, Dave Foley escaped from the traffic on Route 128 and parked the Charger at the Red Coach Grille in Braintree. He went into the bar and took a table in the rear corner that allowed him to watch the door and the television set above the bar. He ordered a vodka Martini on the rocks with a twist.

–George V. Higgins, The Friends of Eddie Coyle

PS: There’s also a movie based on this book starring the mighty Robert Mitchum. But I haven’t seen it yet. Sadly.

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Seattle Magazine Cocktail Catch-Up

Here we go alcoholovers, time for another catch up with Seattle Magazine and me. Meaning, in case you’ve missed any of my recent pieces for that revered periodical, now’s your chance to catch up yo! And, while at least one of these (well, maybe more?) is very tied to a particular time, the drinks included in it are good anytime. Trust me, all right? So, without further ado:

•  Six Cocktail Spirits You Can Sip Neat

•  Five Cocktails to Serve at Your Oscars Party

•  Best Bars in Seattle for Five Different Types of Dates

•  Unusual Local Spirits

•  Hey Sweetie, Serve These Cocktails on Valentine’s Day

•  5 Superb Super Bowl Party Cocktails

PS: See all Rathbun Seattle Magazine posts.

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Bar Hop Catch Up: Essex, Clever Bottle, Rumba, Golden Beetle

It’s that time again bar lovers, where I point you to recent (or, fairly recent) Bar Hop columns. In case you don’t know, the Bar Hop columns come out every month in Seattle Magazine, and in each I do a short profile on a different Seattle bar. Usually, they’re new-ish bars, but not always. So, if you’re planning on having a drink in Seattle anytime soon, then I suggest checking out the following to find which drinking haven is for you.

•  Essex (in Upper Ballard)

•  Clever Bottle (in Belltown)

•  Rumba (in Capitol Hill)

•  Golden Beetle (in downtown Ballard)

Or, see all Bar Hops.

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What I’m Drinking: The Rob Roy

I’m not sure if it’s January’s gloom (we’re aching for sun here in Seattle – please send us some if you live anywhere it’s sunny. Please), my continually growing love of Scotch, or the fact that I like people with accents, but I’ve been on a bit of a Rob Roy jag lately. And, funny enough, I’ve been having them mainly at the bar that shares the same name (the Rob Roy, in case you’re feeling a bit slow today). But I’ve had a couple at home, too, using the recipe from Dark Spirits. In honor of that book-I-wrote, I wanna actually quote from it, because I’m self-referential sure, but mainly because I can’t believe the fine folks at Harvard Common Press let me get away with having this in a headnote:

Remember what Fandral said in the Marvel Spotlight on Warriors Three (Marvel Spotlight Issue 30, 1976) to the guy who bugged him when he was drinking a Rob Roy (at least I think he was), “Churl! Hast thou no manners? Never interrupt a man whilst he is drinking!” In the last part of that quote “a Rob Roy” is only implied, but don’t miss the point.

The Rob Roy

Ice cubes

2-1/2 ounces Scotch

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Lemon twist, for garnish

1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the Scotch, vermouth, and bitters. Shake thee well.

2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist. Methinks you’ll be happier for it.

A Variation: Wanna take a wee trek away from the Rob Roy? Switch Angostura for orange bitters, and skip to a Highland Cocktail.

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