Cocktail Correspondent: Eli van der Giessen
It’s Friday afternoon and The Auntie, PhD, texts with a proposal to cut out early. Me and the lady don’t believe in working on Fridays, so we jump at the invitation.
We head to Au Comptoir (2278 W 4th Ave, Vancouver), our local French restaurant, best known for its lunchtime Croque Monsieur sandwiches. Au Comptoir is not kidding around with its Frenchness. The restaurant is staffed exclusively by French boys, all menu substitutions are refused, and they don’t believe gluten allergies exist.
Since The Auntie, PhD, has a gluten allergy we take a seat at the bar for a round of cocktails.
It’s 4:30 p.m., and the cinq à sept rush hasn’t arrived. The room, a mix of old-world wood and new-world hipster flourishes like repurposed Singer sewing tables, is quiet and bathed in indirect afternoon sun.
Our bartender slides us the cocktail list and we try a few drinks.
Moroccan Tease
Ingredients: Beefeater gin, green Chartreuse, fresh lime, mint and cilantro, ginger syrup.
Notes: The Moroccan Tease is a delightful patio drink that reminds you of all the herbs you’d be growing if you weren’t busy exploring cocktail menus. The bright lime and mint flavours lead, followed by hints of the more medicinal gin and chartreuse.
Rating: Would order again.
Let’s try one more….
Paris Sour
Ingredients: St. Remy V.S.O.P, St. Germain, fresh lemon, ginger syrup, egg white, red wine float.
Notes: This cocktail tries to balance the sweet and sour tastes, but there is too much going on for my palate. Visually it’s a stunner. Check out those layers, and how it’s “marked” like an espresso macchiato.
Rating: For people with experienced tastebuds.
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