I recently went out to celebrate a friend’s birthday with dinner at Via Tribunali followed by drinks at Tavern Law. Tavern Law is the latest “speakeasy style” bar to open up on Capitol Hill. When I think of a speakeasy, I imagine someplace secret or at the very least subtle. Someplace dark and quiet you could pop into for a cocktail and go unnoticed. In many ways, Tavern Law has none of that: instead of mysterious and quiet, it is bustling, loud and completely accessible. It is a very open space with high ceilings, tall bookshelves lining the walls and an over-sized mahogany bar that curves around the entirety of the main room.

But, wait. What is this strange phone doing on the wall? Pick it up and, if you’re lucky, you might be buzzed into the secret and secluded upstairs bar! Follow a dimly lit wooden stairwell lined with vintage nude photos to find an intimate bar with small tables nestled about. Personalized service and hushed voices are the atmosphere here. The upstairs bar feels like a hidden oasis and makes the downstairs bar seem downright rowdy by comparison.

The cocktail menu at Tavern Law is extensive, with drinks divvied up between fizzes, cups, punches and more. There is a helpful glossary at the back of the menu in case you want to learn the histories of these various types of cocktails. Many of the drinks are classics (for these, the menu lists the dates and locations where the drink was made famous.) Most, however, are original cocktails inspired by the classics. Fresh ingredients and traditional (at times obscure) spirits are used liberally. Tavern Law also has a short food menu, consisting mostly of small bites designed to go perfectly with that hand-crafted cocktail.

I’m easily overwhelmed by lengthy cocktail menus so I decided to order the very first drink that caught my eye: Farewell Romeo. This cocktail features Tequila, Strega, lemon and orange juice. It is shaken with ice, strained into an attractive martini glass and topped off with a spoonful of red wine (in this case, a fruity Tempranillo.) It was a beautiful drink – golden in color with a thin layer of deep red at the top. I feared that the wine might clash with the other ingredients, but it actually provided a nice aftertaste. It was like a super-strong sangria. Delicious!

My second drink was equally tasty despite having a somewhat odd list of ingredients. The Red Rum Daisy consists of rum, muddled red bell pepper, lime, ginger and a splash of grenadine. This drink is sweet, sour, spicy, and vegetal all at once. It was spicy enough that I wondered if they might have thrown some cayenne in there, but the waitress informed me it was only red bell pepper and ginger. This certainly isn’t a drink for everyone, but it was a highlight for me.

So far, Tavern Law seems like a great addition to the neighborhood. Drinks are on the expensive side; quality ingredients and craftsmanship are never cheap. I especially appreciate that Tavern Law has a little something for everyone. If you like an approachable place with lots of people, great cocktails and a fun atmosphere, swing by the main bar. If you are like me, and prefer a quieter hideout in which to enjoy your hand-crafted drink, check out the “speakeasy” upstairs.

St. Germain - a French liqueur made from elderflowers - is undoubtedly the current darling of Seattle’s cocktail scene. Coinciding with the movement toward hand-crafted cocktails and speakeasy-themed lounges, this exotic French spirit is popping up on cocktail menus all around the city. Despite its popularity, St. Germain is available in limited quantities. Elderflowers have a short blossoming season and do not keep well once picked making mass production difficult. Each year, 40 or 50 farmers head out to the French Alps to pick the elderflowers used to make St. Germain. The flowers are carefully packed into sacks and carted to market on bicycles. Whatever the farmers are able to collect over a several day period is what will be used to make that year’s supply of St. Germain. St. Germain is produced using old-world techniques dating back to the 1880’s. Although it is a relatively new spirit, it’s now wonder why fans of retro cocktails are flocking to St. Germain. The traditional harvesting and distillation process, the beautiful chiseled bottle - everything about St. Germain just seems old (take a look at their website, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.)

My liquor store seems to be perpetually out of stock. After weeks of searching, I finally got my hands on a bottle of St. Germain. I was immediately entranced by its complex aroma: part grapefruit, passionfruit, pear, lychee, and, of course, flowers. The flavor is sweet though not nearly as sweet and cloying as some liqueurs. I wouldn’t drink it straight, but I could see myself adding a small amount of St. Germain to nearly any cocktail. It mixes amazingly well with most types of alcohol. Gin, rum, bourbon, tequila – you name it. It adds a light sweetness and just the right amount of that alluring aroma to any drink you put it in. Use it in place of simple syrup for an extra deluxe cocktail!

So far, I have made two different cocktails using St. Germain. First, I decided to try the signature drink: The St. Germain Cocktail. This super-easy recipe calls for 2 shots of champagne or dry white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc), 1½ shots St. Germain, and 2 shots sparkling water. You simply stir the ingredients together in a tall, ice-filled glass and add a lemon twist garnish. I used a dry Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. It was still a little sweet for me but proved to be very refreshing on a hot day. Robert described it as tasting like “the world’s most delicious sprite.” I thought it tasted like a Gewurtztraminer spritzer. I’d be curious to see how it is made with Champagne instead of Sauvignon Blanc.

For my second drink, I attempted to recreate the St. James Cooler Robert had at Knee-High several weeks ago. For this drink, I placed in an ice-filled cocktail shaker: 4 to 5 mint leaves, 1 shot of bourbon, ½ shot of St. Germain, 1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice and a dash of angostura bitters. I shook it up and poured it into a short glass filled with ice. Then, I topped it off with 1 shot sparkling water and a fresh mint sprig garnish. This recipe required a bit more effort than the St. Germain Cocktail but was much more my style of drink. Robert and I spent a lazy Sunday afternoon reading our books and sipping on St. James Coolers. If that’s an indication of things to come, I’m looking forward to sampling my way through many more St. Germain-inspired cocktails over the remaining weeks of summer!

It was my birthday last Friday, and Robert and I celebrated with cocktails at Knee High Stocking Co. This secretive, speakeasy-themed bar has only been open for a few months but has already gained some pretty serious buzz. Knee High can be tricky to find - it is in an odd location and doesn’t have much in the way of a sign (the name is written in tiny lettering above the doorbell.) In true speakeasy style, you must ring the bell in order to be let in. This was somewhat intimidating for us, but our fears quickly subsided as Jack, the owner, greeted us warmly at the door and led us through the dark, intimate space to two lovely seats at the bar.

Upon entering Knee High, I was immediately struck with the impression that they are going for something different here. Dim lighting, a curtained entryway, chandeliers and candles and an ornate absinthe fountain all contribute to the elegant and seductive atmosphere. Greg, the bartender, was dressed up in a vest and tie – you certainly don’t see that every day in Seattle. House rules (discreetly listed on the back of the menu) are meant to keep the experience special for everyone: no cell phones, no hovering at the bar and - our personal favorite – to please use a quiet tone.

Interspersed throughout the cocktail and food menu are interesting tidbits on the history of various spirits (the current menu features background information on Pimm and Absinthe; look for a piece on Galliano on a future menu.) Not surprisingly, the cocktail specials are either classics from the prohibition era or new concoctions inspired by old-fashioned ingredients. As is the current trend, you won’t find much vodka on the list. Instead, the focus is on lesser known spirits such as Lillet Blanc, Liquore Strega and St. Germain. Knee High also makes a daily punch bowl (not to be confused with the kool-aid laden punches we all experienced as kids, true punch has a long history and is actually a precursor to the modern cocktail.)

Robert started off with the St. James Cooler, a refreshing blend of bourbon, St. Germain, soda, mint and lemon. I had the Hemingway Cocktail which features Bacardi rum, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur and lime. After discussing our likes and dislikes with Greg, we felt comfortable letting him choose our next drink for us. For Robert, he mixed up a variation on the Corpse Reviver Cocktail using gin, St. Germain, Lillet Blanc and lemon juice. Upon tasting samples of Liquore Strega, Campari and Cynar, I decided I wanted a drink based on Cynar if only because it is made from artichokes and I find that rather fascinating. Greg proceeded to make me a twist on the classic Negroni using gin, sweet vermouth and Cynar in place of Campari. Knowing that I enjoy citrus flavors, he swirled some orange bitters in the glass before filling it - a nice touch.

Our visit to Knee High Stocking Co. was one of the best bar experiences I’ve had in a long time. I’m convinced that Greg is the friendliest bartender in Seattle. We chatted with him the entire time, and I learned a lot about cocktails and spirits I’d never heard of before. Personal service, a cozy atmosphere, shockingly reasonable prices (cocktails start at $5) and an education – what more could one ask for? The only downside is that this place makes you want to keep drinking and never stop. Knee High - you made me one happy birthday girl!

Knee High Stocking Co. is located at 1356 E Olive Way (between Bellevue & Melrose) and is open every day, except Monday, starting at 6:00 PM.

Yesterday we celebrated my nephew’s first birthday! Once the cake and presents were out of the way, our gracious host Jim invited us down to his basement bar for a tequila tasting. Jim is a true tequila aficionado, and he has clearly built his bar with that in mind. We sampled a very fine Partida reposado tequila. It was delicious unadorned - smooth and a bit spicy. The Partida was great, but I was more excited about the other tequila we tried - Lunazul - if for no other reason than it falls more in line with my budget. Priced at under $20 for 750 ml, Lunazul is a steal! Lunazul tequila is grown, distilled and bottled at the Tierra de Agaves Distillery in Tequila, Mexico. To pursue his goal of producing the best small batch tequilas in the world, former co-owner of Jose Cuervo, Francisco Beckmann, founded Tierra de Agaves in 2002. Lunazul comes in two varieties: blanco and reposado. Jim told us about how he chose Lunazul as his house tequila after conducting a blind taste test among friends. He served us the blanco in margaritas which he makes using agave nectar for sweetener, a natural pairing considering that tequila is also made from the agave plant. After returning home from the party, I headed to the corner liquor store and picked up my own bottle of Lunazul. Since we had already tried the blanco at Jim’s, I decided to buy the reposado. We sipped it straight up and in margaritas. It proved to be buttery, smoky and a bit sweet. Who knew a budget tequila could be this good? I can see why it scored so highly in Jim’s taste test.

I’m declaring this weekend to be the unofficial start of the holidays. Thanksgiving may not be for another few days, but I’m ready to start celebrating now! People around here get so mad when they see the shops putting up their Christmas decorations early, but I’m a total sucker for it. I just love the winter holidays. Robert won’t allow Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but I know one way to start celebrating this weekend - by mixing up a special holiday cocktail!

My perspective is that holiday cocktails should always involve bourbon, brandy, or one of the other brown liquors. This isn’t the time for vodka (although, gin, with its wintry pine flavor, is acceptable.) Winter flavors such as orange, spice, apple and pear work well for a holiday drink. Flipping through a recent issue of Bon Appetit, I came across a recipe for a cocktail called Northwood #2. Inspired by the New England woods he grew up around, David Moo of the Brooklyn bar Quarter, created this special cocktail that fits my idea of a holiday cocktail perfectly. To make the Northwood #2, simply shake the following ingredients with ice and strain into coupe glasses:

3 tablespoons gold rum
2 tablespoons brandy
1.5 tablespoons fresh apple cider
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

It couldn’t be easier to make, and tastes delicious! This is a pretty strong drink; the apple and maple flavors are quite subtle. I suspect that some people would want to increase the amount of apple cider to make the drink more palatable, although I thought the flavors were perfectly balanced. Then again, I might be some kind of lush because I thought the recipe made a perfectly reasonable single serving (it is actually supposed to serve two!) I may try this again using spiced cider for even more of a winter flavor. Happy holidays!

I have this mental checklist of activities that I like to do each December to help get me into the holiday spirit. Some are obvious: decorating my tree while listening to Christmas carols, baking cookies at mom & dad’s, and watching my favorite old holiday specials on TV. Another one of my favorite things to do around this time of year is to get dressed up and go out for a holiday cocktail. It started in my college days when my friends and I would meet at Kinkora for drinks and to exchange gifts. Kinkora was this old Irish dive, and our holiday drink usually consisted of whatever cheap beer was on tap, but they always had a Christmas tree up and a roaring fake fire going so I was guaranteed to leave the place full of holiday cheer. Later, after Robert and I had met and were living on First Hill, we enjoyed going out for a holiday drink at The Hunt Club in the Sorrento Hotel. The Hunt Club had everything you would want in a holiday bar - slightly ritzy, very cozy and a menu of old school cocktails. The past few years, we have had a harder time finding just the right place for our holiday drink. There are plenty of bars on Capitol Hill, but so many of them are too sleek and posh. More hipster-cool than cozy and festive.

This year, we decided to try Licorous for our holiday drink because it is close to home and I heard that they make excellent cocktails. Licorous is located right next door to Lark and is actually owned by the same people. Licorous has all of the elements of a posh Capitol Hill bar, but it manages to be cozy at the same time. A sleek bar, silver ceiling tiles, and retro, geometric designs provide the cool factor, but dim lighting and rust & pumpkin colored walls and drapes give it enough warmth to make the space inviting and cozy. Although it is often referred to as Lark’s little sister, and many people in fact use it as an area to sit while waiting for a table at Lark, Licorous has plenty going on to make it a culinary destination all its own. Exquisite cocktails aside, the menu at Licorous (designed by John Sundstrom, chef/owner of Lark) features inventive small plates in the same style as Lark but at slightly lower prices.

Though the menu looked interesting, we weren’t there for the food, just the holiday drink. Now, I feel the need to make a point of clarification here. When I say holiday drink, I am not talking about a beverage made with some syrupy chocolate or mint liquor and topped with whipped cream. I hate that stuff. For me, the ideal holiday drink is any sophisticated, adult cocktail that is appropriate for winter (think bourbon or brandy, not margarita or mai tai.) Licorous’ Barbaro cocktail fit the bill perfectly. The Barbaro consists of Elijah Craig bourbon with Amaro Ramazzotti, Cinzano, and Drambuie, shaken and served in a tall flared glass with an orange twist. It is a perfectly balanced drink, slightly sweet with a bitter finish. Very delicious. I also ordered the rye whiskey popovers that are meant to accompany my drink (each specialty cocktail has a matching nibble that can be ordered for an extra $2.) The popovers, which were closer in my opinion to miniature bread puddings, were very yummy. I could have easily eaten 5 orders of them. They went beautifully with my drink, and weren’t a bad match for Robert’s Knob Creek either. I think we may have found our new holiday drink spot!

Licorous is located at 928 12th Avenue and is open Monday through Saturday 5PM to 1AM.

Friday night, I went out with friends for drinks at The Bottleneck Lounge. I had been meaning to check this place out since it opened, earlier this year, because I kept hearing it being described as a nice, simple, straightforward neighborhood bar. No frills. No gimmicks. That sounds like the ideal bar to me.

Bottleneck Lounge is located right in between snooty Capitol Hill and even snootier Madison Valley. This area used to be a bit on the seedy side. It never felt too dangerous to me, but, any time I walked from Madison Valley back up to Capitol Hill, I was guaranteed to pass by more than one shifty-eyed person loitering about. Hey, that’s what makes a city a city, right? If I wanted everything to be safe and sanitized and homogeneous, then I would live out in the burbs. Safe and sanitized and homogeneous seems to be the direction that this area of Madison is headed, however. Chocolate City, a notoriously troublesome club located just up the block from Bottleneck was shut down earlier this year (one of the people I was out with is a cop, and she was telling stories about being called down to Chocolate City every weekend.) Across the street from the former Chocolate City is Crush, a very upscale restaurant, and it’s only a matter of time before more places like this move in.

For now, though, there isn’t too much around which makes Bottleneck feel like a little hidden oasis. It is located just far enough from Capitol Hill as to not be overrun with young hipsters. It’s a good thing, too, because Bottleneck is pint-sized! There are maybe five tables and additional seating around the small bar. When we were there, the music was really mellow & not overly loud like some places prefer it. The bartender and waitress were laid back and very friendly. It felt really cozy & comfortable inside. Perfect for a rainy Friday night!

One glance at the menu will inform you that the owners of Bottleneck love dogs. Each cocktail on the menu is associated with a photo of a dog (plus one cat) and are given names such as “Dog Noir” and “The Ugly Chihuahua” (okay, so maybe there is some small amount of gimmickry here.) I tried two cocktails: “The Skirt Chaser” which is Absolut Mandarin, Campari, Rose’s lime juice and soda and “The Loyal Companion” which is Tanqueray gin muddled with fresh basil, Rose’s lime juice and soda. Of the two, “The Loyal Companion” was my favorite. It was so refreshing. And, the basil aroma that wafted over me as the bartender was muddling my drink was incredible.

In addition to cocktails, Bottleneck also has a small number of beers and wines available. As for food, they offer grilled panini sandwiches which looked very tasty. On Sundays, they have a bloody mary & grilled cheese sandwich special for only $10 (be forewarned: their bloody marys have an rather unusual secret ingredient that you may or may not like. I won’t divulge it here out of fairness to the bar.) They are also going to start hosting game day each Sunday which I am particularly interested in because I love me some Scrabble! Chess, Uno and Battleship will also be available for play. Prior descriptions were spot-on in my opinion: Bottleneck really is a great neighborhood bar.

Bottleneck Lounge is located at 2328 Madison Street and is open 4PM to 12AM Tues, Wed, and Sun and 4PM to 2AM Thurs-Sat (closed Mondays).

I’ve been dying to try a pumpkin beer for weeks now. It’s odd because I’m not normally the type of person to go for novelty beers. I like my IPA and that’s final. The problem is that I’m very susceptible to hype. As soon as Elysian Brewery announced that it would be hosting a pumpkin beer tasting, people around town started really hyping it up. 10 pumpkin beers on tap? Including one undergoing a second fermentation inside of a giant pumpkin? That’s exciting stuff! How could I not have pumpkin ale on the brain after hearing about all of that?

Well, I missed the pumpkin beer tasting because of other obligations, but I did manage to locate a 22-ounce bottle of Elysian’s Night Owl Pumpkin Ale at my store. This beer gets rave reviews from both beer critics and anonymous drinkers on the internets. Many claim it is, hands down, the best pumpkin beer out there today. Having never tried a pumpkin beer before, I can’t really say whether this is true or not, but it was quite good. It primarily tasted like a mild, slightly sweet pale ale. But, with every sip, you get a subtle, yet instantly recognizable, taste of pumpkin pie. Elysian ferments their Night Owl with 150 pounds of pumpkin meat and infuses it with pumpkin pie spices including nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. My only complaint is that it seemed a little flat, but that could just be because I am so used to drinking hoppy IPAs. I’m curious how it is straight off the tap. I might just need to run next door to Elysian and try it. Who knows? Maybe they will still have it available straight from the giant pumpkin tap!

Finally, a few days of summer weather! I decided to make the most of yesterday’s sunshine and, instead of having a winesday, I served up some delicious summertime cocktails with dinner. My CSA box came overflowing with cucumbers once again this week. Although the fried cucumbers from last week were…interesting, I thought a cucumber cocktail might be more my style.

After a quick search for cucumber-based cocktails online, I found this recipe for “The Cuke.” The Cuke won the New York Times’ best summertime cocktail recipe contest in 2006. It is similar to a mojito in that it contains limes, sugar, mint and sparkling water. Instead of rum, The Cuke calls for my personal favorite liquor, gin. Cucumber is what really makes this cocktail special, however.

To make The Cuke, you put sliced limes, sliced cucumbers, fresh mint and sugar into a large pitcher and muddle the ingredients together. Then, you add gin and let it steep for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, simply strain into ice-filled glasses and top with a splash of sparkling water. Muddling the ingredients proved to be somewhat problematic (it calls for LOTS of cucumbers and limes) so I did muddling combined with a rough chop in the food processor. I also used about 2 tablespoons of simple syrup instead of the 1/4 cup of sugar called for in the recipe (I halved the recipe.)

For dinner, I served grilled salmon steaks with nectarine-basil salsa, steamed baby potatoes, and stir-fried pattypan squash with spinach. The Cuke was the perfect accompaniment to this lovely summertime meal. It was tasty and refreshing but, be forewarned, The Cuke is one strong drink. A whole cup of gin for three servings! I’m not sure if I should admit it, but it actually ended up being two servings for us (in my defense, I really didn’t try too hard to squeeze the excess liquid out of the muddled cucumbers and limes - I’m sure there was probably an extra serving hiding in there somewhere.) I only used up one of the five cucumbers from this week’s box so I have a feeling there may be many more Cukes in my future this weekend!

Last night, on our way to dinner, Robert and I decided to stop for a drink at Havana, a bar located a few blocks away from our apartment. Although it has been open for nearly a year, we only just discovered it the other day. Havana has done a good job of keeping itself hidden. To get to Havana, you enter through an unmarked door in the middle of a generic parking lot. There is no sign, just a black awning letting you know where to go. Havana does have windows to the outside world, but they face a street that no one ever walks down. In fact, that’s how Robert discovered the place. He just happened to be walking down that street one day and, through the windows, he saw all these people drinking and having fun. A secret bar!

Well, it turns out that Robert and I are just behind the times, and everyone else has already discovered (and figured out how to get into) Havana. Supposedly, it gets packed at night when it turns into a dance club with live DJs. We were there in the afternoon so it wasn’t too busy. It was just us and a bunch of students from the beauty school next door. They were a little loud but, otherwise, Havana was a really comfortable spot to be.

The decor at Havana is, not surprisingly, vintage Cuba featuring lots of pastels and gold trim and palm plants. High ceilings give the place an airy atmosphere, and tall windows let in lots of light. There are a few roomy booths along one wall and plenty of barstools along the bar and another wall. There is also a cozy lounge upstairs that can be reserved for large parties.

We sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender who was really friendly. I get the feeling that he’s not from Capitol Hill, evidenced not only by the lack of attitude but also in his choice of music. You don’t hear too much Bachman Turner Overdrive on the Hill. I loved it, of course. I’m not a fan of classic rock or anything but, any place that rejects the indie music snobbery present at most Capitol Hill bars, is okay in my book. Plus, BTO? That’s almost wacky enough to be cool.

The cocktail menu at Havana is pretty short and focuses mainly on cocktails with a tropical flair. Most of the specialty drinks are made with rum or tequila. That said, don’t expect to see any frothy, too-sweet pineapple drinks garnished with party umbrellas. The cocktails at Havana are all very sophisticated. I started with the Paper Tiger which is Plymouth gin, lemon and blood orange bitters. It was served in a narrow glass with a sugared rim and raspberry garnish. It was delicious; lemony and just a little bit sweet. My second drink was El Floridita. This was made with white Bacardi rum, grapefruit, lime, and a bit of Maraska Maraschino liqueur. This was my favorite of the two. I am not a big fan of maraschino in general, but it really worked here. It added a very subtle, dark cherry flavor to the cocktail.

Overall, we really liked Havana for afternoon cocktails. If you’re not afraid of secret entrances and a little classic rock now and then, you should check it out. Havana is located at 1010 E Pike St. It is open every day from 4 PM to 2 AM and happy hour is from 4 PM to 7 PM.