CTN: 3 Cocktails, Haute Quarter Grill, Anchorage

If you’re looking for a cocktail in Anchorage, drop in at the Haute Quarter Grill on 4th Street. You’ll find a convivial atmosphere, great food with a personal flair from Chef Alex, and an impressive list of boozy concoctions.

Haute Quarter leans toward fruity and floral expressions with several vodka drinks, steps up nicely with some gin creations, tantalizes with tequila, and---this is Alaska, after all---puts forth some tasty whiskey classics, modified with their own particular whimsy.

One standout is the Donkey Dines Out, an amazingly simple fruity variation on a beloved classic, the Moscow Mule. The old familiar Mule, in itself a simple but satisfying concoction of vodka, lime and ginger beer served properly in an icy copper cup (it’s part of the experience!) receives a fruity little twist with Absolut Hibiskus Vodka. Hibiscus, also known in the Caribbean as Jamaica (huh-my-kuh) adds a touch of fruit punch which plumps it up a bit. The extra sweetness is nicely balanced out with the tart lime and spicy ginger beer. Just make sure to use ginger beer (preferably Cock n Bull Ginger Beer) if you’re trying this at home; ginger ale will NOT be sufficient.

Another Haute Quarter cocktail that beckons is the Miso Hannya, a clever combination of Patron Reposado Tequila, fresh strawberries, lime, and spicy sake with a sweet and salty rim. There’s a lot going on here, with the sake adding an unexpected taste angle.

The perennial favorite, however, amongst the bar staff and the customers of the Haute Quarter, is the Salty Grandma. What’s a Salty Grandma?, you may ask. An altogether delightful and nicely balanced melding of the cucumber-and-rosewater-driven Hendrick's Gin, grapefruit juice, Grand Marnier, and a salted rosemary-honey syrup. Add a partially salted rim and a small sprig of fresh rosemary floating on top as garnish, and you have an exceptionally tasty and compelling cocktail.

Again, there’s quite a bit going on here, but much of it is muted, sort of a sotto voce, an understatement achieved by balance, where all the components are there, but none are dominant. It is pretty, aromatically enticing, and complex with flavors. All in all, a remarkably pleasing cocktail.

And why the name Salty Grandma? Who knows. Could be the salt/gin/grapefruit (Salty Dog) connection. Also might be a "salty Grand Marnier". Grand Marnier...Grand-ma...get it? Don't think too much about it; just drink and enjoy.

I vote for the Salty Grandma--I like Hendricks gin and Grand Marnier--sounds yummy although I would probably not salt the rim.

I vote for the Salty Grandma--I like Hendricks gin and Grand Marnier--sounds yummy although I would probably not salt the rim.

That's the one I liked, JC.

I liked the salt though---it went really, really well with the grapefruit, which was actually the most dominant element in the drink.

I've found that more often than you think a touch of salt---especially with tequila, mezcal and gin---along with citric juices works really well. This one sure did.

Those all sound interesting. I drink a lot of [fill in the alcohol] and ginger beer beverages but rarely add anything else to them other than lime. That's something to explore.

I agree regarding salt, in moderation of course. Tequila has a bit of a saltiness to it anyway (or at least it does for me) and a little extra really can be nice.

I agree regarding salt, in moderation of course. Tequila has a bit of a saltiness to it anyway (or at least it does for me) and a little extra really can be nice.

I agree, Mike. There is definitely a salinity there, especially in the classic Valley tequilas, as opposed to the Highlands.

Agree about the moderation too.

Bartender Kevin Ludwig has a well-known drink called the Ventura Highway; tequila-based but with a pinch of salt at finish.

And the Barfather, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, is notorious for an outstandingly good resurrection of the ghastly Grasshopper:..using Tillamook ice cream, creme de menthe and creme de cacao, a shot of Fernet (!) and a dash of salt. He actually turns the Grasshopper into a modern classic.

I've heard of that Grasshopper but have yet to try one. It sounds great, if a bit caloric!