New Spring Menu at Bar | Kitchen

Bye bye pork shank, hello foie gras BLT!

Although I’m going to miss the pork shank, aka the “dinosaur bone,” I have wholeheartedly welcomed the foie gras BLT to Bar | Kitchen‘s new Spring menu. It is on the wee side so order 2 or don’t share! And yes, the pork belly became very good friends with the foie.

Along with some new food items comes a brand new cocktail list. I opted for the Fixed Life (Cachaca, Campari, dry vermouth, jasmine syrup, lime, Meyer lemon, soda) as my first cocktail from the list. There’s also another cocktail with Campari. For a list that is features 8 cocktails, this nod to booze geekery is a welcome sign.

On another night, we decided to get a burger, my favorite roast chicken along with the minted English peas and grilled asparagus salad. The latter two are new items. Although people have been making fun of Paula Deen’s English peas in butter recipe, it is relatively easy to get great flavor with very few ingredients. Bar | Kitchen adds goat cheese and mint to this dish. I wasn’t too sure about trying to keep the peas from rolling off the bits of bread so I ate them separately.

As for the grilled asparagus salad, it’s another self-explanatory dish. As I ate it, I realized once again how much I love vegetables and how I can never get enough. The dressing on this was on the tarter side making me think there was quite a bit of fresh lemon juice. I’m all for it being a tart fiend.

This evening I tried the Ready Room (Tennessee and Islay whiskeys, amaro, sweet vermouth, bitters, citrus twists). I would later learn this drink needed both lemon and orange peel. I only got orange but it was still a nice drink, very much one of my standards- brown, bitter, stirred.

I also tasted Hades’ Broken Scissors (rum, lemon, honey, grenadine, bitters, mint). This was a bit sweet for me but I can see it working earlier in the evening and it’s definitely a sign of Spring!

The other new cocktails:

Living Day Lights – rhum, sparkling wine, anisette, lemon, agave, bitters

Close Quarters– pisco, Campari, sherry, lemon, demerara, hogo

I asked what hogo was and Lush Angeles happened to be in the house. He described it as a funk. Hm, I will have to keep that in mind if and when I do eventually order this cocktail. The lure of Campari is strong but an unpleasant smell seems well, awful.

Ensign– bourbon, rhubarb amaro, honey, ginger, lime, Hefeweizen

My friend had this drink and she eventually admitted it wasn’t her thing. I will have to try it because it all sounds pretty good to me.

M-91  – gin, Italian vermouth, orange

El Cura – Reposado tequila, yellow Chartreuse, lemon, honey, dash mezcal

While I was at the bar, I heard someone order this drink (after finding out Bar | Kitchen doesn’t carry Patron) and ask what yellow Chartreuse was. I had to really restrain myself from blurting out the answer. The bartender explained it was a French herbacious liqueur. Apparently she didn’t like it as she moved to Casa Noble and soda next. However, I bet it was amazing. It’s next on my list to try.

Bar | Kitchen at the O Hotel

819 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017 – (213) 623-9904

 

© The Minty 2012