Here it's about the beverage component of a great new restaurant in Portland that has a casual atmosphere, convivial hospitality, and some impressive chops in both food and beverage.
A couple of cocktails stood out. And also went down my gullet, to great acclaim from me.
Ah, but what of the beverages? Start with one of the singular best short lists seen lately: Five beers, five ciders, a selection of reds, whites, roses and sparklers that would be chary were it not so nicely balanced. Any wine drinker would be able to find a companionable wine or three from this tiny list.
And the cocktails? Suffice it to say that co-proprietor Lilly, a vivacious, charming hostess with an honest smile, bubbles over with obvious excitement when she discusses her bar program, and her loving whimsy comes through, both in the tidy but intriguing spirits selection, and what she and her staff create from it.
The European Union, with something from the EU major countries joined together in one cocktail, was irresistible, a spirit-forward, pre-Prohibition style that perfectly showcased each of the spirits within. The Strega was a nice touch. Like the menu aesthetic, there’s no frippery and decoration here, with all the elements working together but emerging distinctly.
The Cap & Kid was intriguing, with a superficially strange combination of ingredients. I’m not an overall fan of Akvavit (caraway is okay, but often overwhelming in a spirit, and a little goes a long way in a cocktail) but the combination, especially when Lustau East India Sherry was mentioned, sealed the deal. Again, delicious. Intensely aromatic, with present but subdued Linie Akvavit and all the other ingredients intertwined, leading to a long finish alternately echoing all those ingredients. This is creative cocktail making!
If you want to read the whole thing, http://www.examiner.com/list/radar-love-and-the-european-union