Market Watch, April 2018

84 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM APRIL 2018PHOTO BY TK TKWhen Pouring Ribbons opened in New York City in the fall of 2012 partner Joaquín Simó decided to offer a rotat ing seasonal menu that changed four times a year We did that for the first three years but eventually I found it to be very limiting and it was getting harder to keep the staff motivated interested and inspired he says Simó then took it down to two menus a year both fitting into an over arching year long theme He started with Roads and Travel for fall 2015 through summer 2016 In fall and winter the menu revolved around Route 66 Our staff sought inspiration from roadside diners as well as the differing regional flavors and ingredi ents that come from the mountains and the desert Simó says For spring and summer 2016 the menu changed over to the Silk Road staying within the years theme but with widely different results drinks featured exotic spices like garam masala turmeric and Thai basil Both menus were hugely successful so Pouring Ribbons has continued with a new concept each year The current menu New York City in 1983 falls under the over arching theme of Time and Place Compared to just a seasonal menu a fun and creative theme that you reinvent twice a year keeps you relevant and in the public eye Simó explains Themed cocktail menus have been catching on in venues across the country as bars look for ways to stand out and have fun Before we started doing themed menus in 2017 we would have creative bursts where we would be constantly reprinting the menu to make room for new cocktails followed by stagnant weeks says Tippy Ard bar manager at Bar Argos in Ithaca New York Implementing themed menus means committing to an idea and a date to turn over the entire menu all at once This gives our staff a creative direction and framework The bar has featured a range of themes from Greek mythology to the cult TV show Twin Peaks The current Bar Argos menu is inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairytales with such drinks as the Sleeping Beauty 12 featuring chamomile infused Dudognon 10 year old Reserve Cognac Atsby Armadillo Cake vermouth Aurora Manzanilla Sherry house made Ryan William Chardonnay syrup and rose water and the Queen Bee 12 which blends Brugal Añejo rum Henriques Henriques Rainwater Madeira Bénédic tine herbal liqueur Giffard Banane du Brésil banana liqueur lemon juice honey and aquafaba a vegan egg white substitute made from legumes Having FunSan Francisco bar Trick Dog has been offering themed cocktail menus since opening in 2013 It allows us to have a structure and remain engaged with our business says Josh Harris co owner of Bon Vivants Hospitality which owns Trick Dog Were creatively inspired and fulfilled and that comes to life through these menus When people come to our bar theyre walking into a space that feels new and invigorated At Trick Dog Harris along with Bon Vivants co owner and creative director Morgan Schick takes concept menus a step further The menus themselves reflect the overall cocktail Curating TheCocktail List Themed cocktail menus bring fun creative flair to the bar sceneBY SALLY KRALMIXOLOGYTHEMED COCKTAILS84 2018PHOTOS BY OPPOSITE TOP GRACEFUL FAWN BOTTOM RIGHT ERIK ACKLEYSan Franciscos Trick Dog bar changes its themed menu every six months The current menu is Trick Dog Airways which includes drinks named after airport codes such as the GDL above