What was the most recent cocktail that you added to the menu, and what was your inspiration?
The most recent cocktail was the Bloomingdale, and the Bloomingdale is a celebration of all things Vancouver and Asian influenced. By Asian influenced, I don’t mean soy and teriyaki. It’s not like the typical stuff. It’s sake and gin as the base, then a homemade syrup that’s made from foraged cherry blossoms, which grow wildly in Vancouver between May and August on every single street. My partner and I, Jonathan, went out late at night. I had a giant Lulu Lemon sweater on and I would just pull the branch down and he’d strip the tree, and take the cherry blossoms. Then we soaked them in sake, and after 48 hours, squeezed them out. Equal parts simple syrup, and it’s very nutty and delicious. Sudachi juice as well, which is a Japanese citrus. It’s just really beautiful, very floral and very pretty, very Vancouver.
Where and what do you like to drink when you’re not working?
I really like beer. I like beer because Vancouver has a lot of opportunity with craft beer. There’s never a dull moment with different styles, different types that are brewed right here…We just finished Vancouver Craft Beer Week, which was the second year. I really, really like beer, but when I go out to bars and I’m sitting with bartenders who are serving me who I really respect and adore completely, I like anything that is gin forward and spirit forward. Negroni is probably my favorite cocktail of all time.
If you were to drink a last cocktail, it would be a Negroni?
Oh yeah, indeed. Homemade vermouth though.
What’s the key to a great Negroni for you?
It’s just simple. Don’t shake it and don’t screw up the measurements. It’s equal parts, and just let it rest on ice. You don’t even have to pour it in a glass. I don’t care. Just pour it in a glass and hand it to me with a straw and I’ll stir it myself. I don’t really care. It’s the easiest cocktail to make, and it’s just delicious.
Who would make your finally Negroni? And it can’t be you.
Who would make my final Negroni? I’m going to say my bar team. I’ll say Graham and Marlow. They make really good Negronis, and they were the inspiration for us making our homemade vermouth.
You were saying that you’re sitting across the bar from someone you really trust. Who are the other bartenders you trust in town?
I love sitting at Jay Jones’ bar. Dani [Tatarin]’s bar. David [Wolowidnyk]’s bar. Shaun Layton. Trevor Kallies, from the Granville Room, whenever he’s there, he makes a lovely last Negroni. And then there’s the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Jacob Sweetapple, sitting at his bar. Just because of the camaraderie. It’s not just about the cocktail. It’s about the experience of hanging out with people you really love and respect. It’s pretty awesome.
What cocktail would you recommend that people make at home, that would be manageable?
Everyone should make bourbon sours at home. You can make whiskey sours or bourbon sours, because people always seem to have a new random bottle of whiskey in the house. From a Christmas party, or a crazy uncle brought it over and he left it here. It just takes really no skill. Angostura bitters – in fact, when I was in Toronto, I found one in my grandmother’s cupboard that looked like it was from 1950 – and it probably was. I think everyone’s got a bottle of Angostura bitters too. Lemon juice, sugar, egg, easy.
What proportion?
Two ounces of bourbon, ¾ ounce lemon, 1 ounce sugar, and simple syrup’s so easy to make. Equal parts sugar and water, and then a dash of Angostura bitters. And if you don’t have Angostura bitters, just put a dash of vanilla extract, something to bring it altogether. You just need something to numb the acidity and just bring everything together.
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