#bar bites

Munch On Global Bar Bites at The Old Fashioned Bar- Koramangala

ICYMI, there’s a new hotspot in town. The Old Fashioned opened its doors this August, and has quickly gained a rep for their exquisite cocktails! Named after a favourite classic cocktail — The Old Fashioned — the bar is all set to revive and create a craft cocktail movement in the city using the freshest of available ingredients, great service and delicious food, all under a classic 1960’s…

RELEASE DAY: Bar Bites (A Man of the Month Cookbook) by J. Kenner & Suzanne M. Johnson - Available NOW!! @1001DarkNights @InkSlingerPR @juliekenner

    Join Man of the Month creator, New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner, and USA Todaybestselling Southern food expert Suzanne Johnson as they guide you through their favorite bar bite and drink recipes served at The Fix on Sixth. And don’t forget to spend some time learning a little bit more about the private lives of your favorite characters in all new snippets and short stories!…

Cityscape at the Union Square Hilton

Obligatory disclaimer: This write-up is based on a media event previewing Cityscape’s space, food, and drinks for free.

Hotels may appear off limits to pedestrians passing by, but often, they harbor secret niches the public can access if they know where to go. Such is the case at the newly opened Cityscape, a sleek bar at the top of San Francisco’s Union Square Hilton (333 O’Farrell Street).

Photo courtesy of Cityscape.

Head into the corridor behind the Hilton’s lobby and up to the 46th floor to find the bar. Near sunset is the optimum time; no matter how good the food and cocktails are, which I’ll get to in a minute, the reason you’re coming here is the view. Unfortunately, on the evening I visited, San Francisco’s fog staked its claim, but as you can tell from these pics provided by the hotel, it’s absolutely gorgeous on clear days.

Photo courtesy of Cityscape.

And to be honest, I thought the city lights coming through the fog that night were pretty cool, too.

Or maybe that’s just the horror writer in me loving the spookiness. The bar itself isn’t spooky at all; it’s a giant square of comfy, modernist furniture in a palette of grey and beige.

They all face the limitless windows and that amazing view. A central bar lights up more confidently in pink as the night falls.

Cityscape’s cocktail list will quickly confirm that you’re paying for the view as much as the alcohol, but together, they are worth the splurge ($16-$20). The Berkeley Bramble was as vibrant as the sunset should be, boasting a bold blackberry hue that belied the soft gin, lemon, and club soda mixture.

The Nob Hill Manhattan—made with Maker’s 46 bourbon, Carpano Antico sweet vermouth, and bitters—does justice to that classic drink.

We also enjoyed a couple glasses of “the Mariner” red wine blend from Dry Creek Vineyards. The best deal on drinks at Cityscape may be selecting the glass and a half size of whatever wine you prefer.

Chef Michael Vaughn, who signed on with this Hilton this past July, asked for the drink list before crafting the menu of bar bites. As the kitchen is over forty floors away, he knew that cold plates would be the focus so no quality would be sacrificed in the course of delivery.

Chef Michael Vaughn.

Vaughn loves playing with how the same drink changes when paired with different foods, and he’s really passionate about the Cityscape space and the Hilton’s new Urban Tavern, what Vaughn described as a fresh take on a gastropub, focusing on healthier dishes with whimsy.

The bar bites also fit that bill, though they provide more of an adventurous dip into Asian-inspired dishes.

Potato chips are served with nori salt and an amazing black garlic and charred scallion aioli that was so earthy and rich, I nearly thought it pâté. Vaugh loved my enthusiasm as black garlic is apparently a hard sell. It’s so very good, though, worth every second of the week-long roasting process.

The charcuterie is top notch and arranged with finesse. What stood out most on that platter, however, were the beet-pickled eggs with tons of color. I don’t know if any tea was involved in the process of imbuing the eggs with delicious flavor, but the image conjured of tea eggs is apt.

The two seafood dishes also offered vibrant flavors, with the ahi, salmon, and hamachi poke—

—inching out the chilled prawns—

—in lasting memorability just a bit. Spiced cucumbers with sesame, chile, scallion, and a fleeting impression of burnt peanuts also pleased. Small plates range from $7 to $17. Add that together with a drink, and yes, it’s a pricy evening, but I can’t imagine a much nicer way to enjoy a repast before heading to a nearby show. Extravagance worth the cost, but make sure to get your money’s worth of that view before heading back down to floor level and reality.

Cityscape is waiting to provide you with more than a moment of tranquility.

This media event took place on 28 September 2016.

Indian Summer Cocktails and Bar Bites at the Clift Hotel

Obligatory disclaimer: The cocktails and food mentioned in this post were complimentary as part of a special media event.

It’s September in the Bay Area, and we all know what that means – Indian Summer! It’s been one of the coldest actual summers on record here, which means the annual warmth of September and October will be welcome — though we’ll never refuse a little rain. As a Californian, I’m obligated to include that last part.

Looking up at the Clift Hotel.

There wasn’t a drop in sight the day I tried the Indian Summer cocktail and bar menu at the iconic Redwood Room in the Clift Hotel (495 Geary St., Union Square, SF). What makes it iconic? How about being paneled from a single redwood tree? Is that iconic enough for you?

First look at the whimsical, atmospheric Redwood Room.

The whole hotel is quite historic, which anyone who’s lived in the Bay Area awhile probably already knows. Commissioned in 1913, it has hosted a slew of celebrities and was the first earthquake-proof hotel of its time. The modern classic style it currently boasts is the result of a remodel once the Morgans Hotel Group, a firm specializing in big city boutique offerings, took it over in the mid-1990s. I knew from the moment I walked through the lavender-lighted entryway that this was no ordinary hotel. It’s more of an adult wonderland!

Pay close attention to the lamps if you visit; a few of them are Salvador Dali originals! The giant, focal chair is, of course, a highlight of the lobby, drawing plenty of playful pictures. If you stick your head underneath it, you’ll find a surprise as well—

How fun! But I was talking about cocktails, wasn’t I?

Anthony Kim at the bar.

Anthony Kim, the Redwood Room’s head mixologist, has come up with a great menu of cocktails inspired by classics but jazzed up with his own spin. Combined with Chef Thomas Weibull’s inventive bar bites, they make for a great beginning or end to a night out in Union Square. Note: I’m using the Clift Hotel’s images for most of these pictures, as believe me, you want to see these in their full glory rather than the dimly lit versions I ended up taking.

The Cool Desire was my definitive favorite. It’s essentially a mimosa and should please lovers of that brunch standard though the Cool Desire is more sophisticated for the evening crowd. Passion fruit subs in for orange, and Kim added a light touch of mint syrup for herbal complexity. Topped off with Veuve Clicquot, it’s a great pairing with the tuna poke tacos.

Those are a delightful fusion, using wonton shells in place of tortilla, which I’ve also seen at the Albany Taproom recently. Messy, certainly, but what taco isn’t? I would have preferred the poke enhanced with a citrus vinegar, but with a Cool Desire in hand, that effect is already achieved.

The King’s Lemonade is an approachable rye drink for those not yet convinced they can handle whiskey-heavy cocktails. Made with Woodford Reserve, it offers lots of fresh produce appeal with strawberry puree and basil syrup. Try it with the compressed watermelon salad.

This dish uses honey from the Clift’s rooftop hive. The presentation is lovely, and it’s a simple, lightly sweet dish that will benefit from the King’s Lemonade’s layers.

The Sandia Amara’s chili and salt rim is the cocktail’s standout element. This one’s heavy on the tequila, to the point that I’d appreciate more of that watermelon puree giving it color. Traditional fruit sprinkled with chile, so common in Latin American cuisines, inspired Kim. The tequila makes it a great partner for the earthiness of my favorite dish on the menu: mushroom spring rolls with truffle aioli.

Here’s the thing – I dislike mushrooms, often passionately. My rating system even uses them to denote my lowest score. But in this offering, they are expertly prepared, exuding the woodsy atmosphere that so often gets lost when simply thrown into a dish. The shell’s fried, paper-thin crunch completes a wonderful bite.

Dessert is also an excellent choice at the Redwood Room.

The honey cake, sourced from the rooftop again, is surprisingly more of a spice cake – the honey seemed to mostly come into play by soaking the bottom of the cake in it. We were only served bites – I’m sure the actual portion is much more substantial, and it would make for a playful combination with the creamy Clift Painkiller.

This is a dessert cocktail all the way. Kim dialed back on the OJ presence to bring in more of a pineapple focus. That pineapple chases the coconut cream around the glass. I’d liken it to a pina colada served on the rocks rather than blended. A restrained use of nutmeg grated on top is appreciated.

While not strictly for dessert, the Raspberry Sour provides a fun contrast to the salted caramel cheesecake.

Served to us in a cup, that cheesecake impressed! Because it’s so omnipresent on dessert menus, impressive cheesecake is hard to find, but I assure you this is one, with a perfect proportion of topping to filling and one of the tastiest fillings I’ve had in some time, to boot.

Place the emphasis on sour for the cocktail, as looks here are deceiving. Raspberry pulp provides texture and a float of Chambord brings flavor, but lime juice mixing with the Absolute Elyx vodka is the strongest element – it’ll bring out whatever lemon is used in that cheesecake base. Ginger syrup elevates all the cocktail’s ingredients, making for an intriguing drink.

Whatever your choice, the Redwood Room’s Indian Summer menu has plenty hiding inside it to whet or sate your palate. Just step on in through its alluring doors…

Entering the Redwood Room through the lobby.

Event took place 17 August 2016.