The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2017

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december 2017  /  the tasting panel  /  103 MIRABELLE Chef Frank Ruta should feel right at home at his French- American restaurant Mirabelle, considering it's located just up the street from his former place of employment: the White House. The luxe oasis flaunts gilded and art deco accents, as well as a très French drinks program overseen by Lead Bartender Zachary Faden. He describes it as "a combination of classic cocktails and contemporary creations that offer a creative introduction to French ingredients and seasonally-driven drinks." I Regret Nothing is a Calvados Manhattan riff for the cooler months, with sweet vermouth, Fernet-Branca, and Green Chartreuse garnished with grated nutmeg. "The Après Ski is a refreshing, bright, and pleasingly-bitter combination of Salers Gentiane Apéritif, Dolin Génépy des Alpes, fresh lemon juice, and soda water," he notes. And in a nod to the popularity of foie gras and duck confit in Gascony, the Angostura Sour, shaken with lime and egg white, infuses Angostura bitters with duck fat to add roundness and richness. This past summer, Faden's Embrasse de la Terre was named the official cocktail at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. The herbal Martini riff, with genever, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Yellow Chartreuse, and celery bitters, is still a favorite at the restaurant. During the colder months, he says he plans to incorporate winter root vegetables as a sweetener and modifier while augmenting the options on the mirrored cart of French spirits wheeled tableside. "I look forward to playing with and tasting French cocktail ingre- dients and their as-yet-undiscovered applications," Faden adds. mirabelledc.com REQUIN Mike Isabella Concepts Beverage Director Taha Ismail says he designed the cocktail program at Requin, located in the city's hip new District Wharf neighborhood, to match chef Michael Rafidi's culinary slant—"bringing a contemporary edge to the classics and showcasing French spirits." Chartreuse, Armagnac, Pineau, and other bottles pepper the menu in sips like the Ma Moitié with gin, génépy, and jasmine tea, and the Late Harvest with Calvados, Galliano, and apple shrub. Ismail is especially fond of Requin's Martini program, which gives guests several options to choose from. The EVOO stirs olive oil–washed Armagnac Blanche with Calvados, Americano Bianco, and dry vermouth, while the 50/50 mingles gin, blanc vermouth, and lemon bitters. His favorite iteration, though, is the Gibson, which combines gin with housemade onion brine and Pineau Blanc—a great match for Rafidi's escargot croissants with Green Chartreuse butter. Wine gastrique, cranberry grog, cocoa nib-infused Angostura bitters, and other ingredients are made in-house, while homemade pineapple powder garnishes the Allo Allo with tequila reposado, mezcal joven, ginger, honey, and lemon. Ismail thinks D.C. is indeed having a French moment right now, albeit un peu différent: "There has definitely been a renewed interest in classic French cuisine, but with a contemporary and more approachable twist." requinbymic.com Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits, and lifestyle writer in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics. The Allo Allo cocktail at Requin, crafted with tequila reposado, mezcal joven, ginger, honey, and lemon, is topped with homemade pineapple powder. PHOTO: GREG POWERS Zachary Faden is the Lead Bartender at French-American restaurant Mirabelle. P O L L I N AT I O N Recipe courtesy of Juan Coronado, Cocktail Consultant, Bresca ◗ 2 oz. honey vodka (Barr Hill or similar) ◗ ½ oz. honey syrup (equal parts honey and hot water, stirred to combine) ◗ ¾ oz. lemon juice ◗ ¼ oz. yuzu juice ◗ ¼ oz. Avèze liqueur ◗ ¼ oz. chamomile cordial Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange peel. E M B R A S S E D E L A T E R R E Recipe courtesy of Zachary Faden, Lead Bartender, Mirabelle ◗ 2 oz. Rutte Old Simon Genever ◗ 1 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry ◗ ¼ oz. Yellow Chartreuse ◗ 3 dashes The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe. PHOTO COURTESY OF MIRABELLE

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