For cocktail writer and author Robert Simonson, Wisconsin has always held its own in the cocktail world — even when he moved away to be a writer in New York City for decades.
Simonson recently returned home to Milwaukee, where he's continuing to write about food, drink, history and regional culture. As a part of this exploration, he joins us on Lake Effect for a new regular segment called “Bar Talk” to share some of the most memorable drinks he’s had at local bars and restaurants in the past month.
Here are his recommendations for May:
The is the second edition of a new monthly segment I’m doing on “Lake Effect,” in which I talk about the most memorable drinks I’ve had at Wisconsin bars during the previous month. And the feature now has a name: “Bar Talk!” The past month has taken me to all sorts of watering holes, from rooftop bars and waterside saloons, to long-standing Chinese and German restaurants. Keep these cocktails in mind for your coming summer bar-hopping.
Hidden Pouches Rye
This is a new rye whiskey, released on May 20, was produced for the old German restaurant Kegel’s Inn by Dancing Goat Distillery. During Kegel’s early days as a speakeasy during Prohibition, it apparently sold rye. The name is a reference to the secret pouches sewn into the apron of Anna Kegel, wife of founder John Kegel Sr., where she hid the flasks. This is a 5-year-old rye whiskey clocking in at 54.8% alcohol. It was important to Julian Kegel that the whiskey be distilled from 100% Wisconsin rye. The whiskey was aged in a brand-new French limousine oak barrel. The bottle sells for $75 and you can only buy it at the restaurant.
Antico Spirito and Spritz al Sambuco
Il Cervo is the rooftop bar atop the Trade Hotel, opposite Fiserv Center. It is an Italian restaurant, so all the cocktails have an Italian bent to them. The "Antico Spirito" sounds like an exotic original creation using Italian spirits. But it’s more like a clever take on the Wisconsin standard, the Old-Fashioned, with Johnny Drum bourbon, gomme syrup, and Angostura bitters. Instead of Squirt, they use high-end Q grapefruit soda. The garnish is a cherry, olive and orange peel on a pick. It’s light and refreshing, just as a Wisconsin Old-Fashioned should be, but a classier, more precise take. Also good at Il Cervo was an N/A drink called "Spritz al Sambuco," made with Giffard N/A Elderflower liqueur, Lyre’s Dry Secco and soda and lots of fresh mint. It’s served in a big wine glass and is bright and refreshing. If you’re thirsting for a Hugo Spritz but don’t want to drink, this is your order.
Oh Look, A Strawberry
Those who frequent Groppi’s, the Italian grocery in Bayside, know that there’s an excellent bar hidden in the back. Most people drink wine and beer at this bar, but there is a short cocktail list, most of which use local spirits. "Oh Look, A Strawberry" is a highball made of bourbon, Heirloom Pinapple Amaro, Bittercube All Day Bitters, orange bitters, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, fresh strawberries, lemon juice and ginger beer. That’s a lot of ingredients and it may take a while for the bartender to make the cocktail if the bar is busy, but it’s worth it. The bourbon comes through just enough, the lemongrass hangs in the back, but the pineapple and strawberry are the stars. It’s a perfect drink for summer.
Pacific Standard Time
Nakama is the headline-making new omakase from chef Jason Morimoto. The star here is, of course, Morimoto’s food. But for $55 extra, you can get a beverage pairing with your 14-course meal, designed by the folks at the bar Lost Whale. My favorite cocktail was the "Pacific Standard Time" at Nakama. It’s a Margarita adaptation, with kumquat-infused reposado tequila, mezcal, lime and pineapple juices, a few drops of bell & chili pepper blend, Mandarine Napoléon orange liqueur, and Bittercube chipotle cacao bitters, with a half-rim of red sea salt from Hawaii, ginger, and black sesame. It’s a mild drink, with just a hint of the spicy chili and green pepper; a subtle, almost creamy tropical cocktail. Try it with the straw and then again after tasting the salt rim; you’ll get two very different drinks.
Cloud Watcher
Goodkind has been a great source of excellent cocktails for many years, thanks to beverage director Katie Rose. If you don’t know to ask, you might not know that there is an after-dinner menu, including a few cocktails. This is where hides one of my favorite cocktails I’ve ever had at Goodkind, the "Cloud Watcher." It’s made of Spanish brandy, chamomile grappa liqueur, Cardamaro amaro and pear liqueur made with Cognac. It’s a very sophisticated, international sipper, drawing on spirits from France, Italy and Spain for its depth.
Honorable Mentions Outside of Milwaukee:
Suzie Wong’s Special Drink: With the closing of the Peking Noodle House in Montana, the Cozy Inn in Janesville became the oldest Chinese restaurant in the United States. Like many such places of their era, there is a menu of colorful tropical drinks. I had one excellent cocktail there, and it turned out to be an original. It was called "Suzie Wong’s Special Drink." Being the ex-theater writer I am, I recognized the name as a reference to the 1958 Broadway play, "The World of Suzie Wong," and the subsequent 1960 movie. The drink was created by Amanda Fong, who told me, “I’ve been making that drink for 38 years.” It is composed of white rum, Myer’s dark rum, orange curaçao, grenadine, orange juice, lemon juice and pineapple juice. It was delicious and far surpassed the other cocktails I’ve tasted there. Order one and you’re getting a cocktail you can’t have anywhere else in the world.
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