Monday, January 21, 2013

Where to Drink: Lots of meat, lots of booze at Lolinda

At Lolinda, nothing happens in moderation. If you order food, expect a huge chunk of meat to arrive at your table. If you order a cocktail, expect to order at least three more––they're that good. Recently, Chris Lane—who has previously been spotted at watering holes like Tradition, Wo Hing, and Heaven's Dog—took over as bar manager and incorporated some new drinks (or, in the case of the Devil's Backbone, old favorites) into the menu.

Lolinda is gorgeous—a great place for a spirited date night or party (in fact, the whole upstairs was reserved for a private party that night, so it is possible to do that).  Noelle thinks it reminds her of a modern castle's banquet hall with the vaulted ceilings, long tables, and large, round chandelier-like lights.

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This weekend, some of us headed over to visit Chris Lane and enjoy some drinks. Chris was busy, but we got to meet a few new bartenders.

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Every drink we had––an embarrassing number––was delicious. The drinks here are strong, bold, and rich with flavor, no doubt to stand up to the big cuts of meat on the menu. Without further ado, here they are:

Oaxacan Cross  mezcal, port, lime, pineapple, ginger, maraschino. A mezcal-driven, citrusy cocktail.

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Carpenter's Hand brandy, sherry, Drambuie, The Drambuie and the brandy give this drink a nice sweetness, balanced by the sherry's herbaceousness

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Cloak and Dagger  tequila, Cynar, apricot. I love bitter tequila drinks. This one knocks it out of the park. The abricot adds a nice bit of fruit on the finish.

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Lone Palm – house spiced rum, lime, grapefruit, honey, The rum, citrus, and honey balance together to make this drink refreshing and but still interesting and spicy.

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Devil's Backbone – rye, islay scotch, Averna, Gran Classico.

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All the above drinks were delicious, but the Devil's Backbone was truly remarkable. It's deep and rich, a slow drink with a complexity that will keep pulling you in to explore its flavors.

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If you'd like to make it down to Lolinda for yourself one day (which you should!), check out their wide ranging menu before you make it down.

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Lolinda
2518 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 550-6970

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