Thought for Food

January 27, 2012

Aviary is like no other cocktail bar in the world. It takes a modernist, culinary, absolutely fearless approach to the fine art of boozin’, and, no surprise, M. has been obsessed with it since Alinea chefs started playing around with new cocktail techniques and posting them on YouTube. (Aviary is a sister-bar to Alinea.)

Aviary doesn’t have a head bartender — it has an executive chef, Craig Schoettler — and lucky me, he and M. are friends. Craig gave us one hell of a show when we visited on Friday the 13th: a 13-course tasting menu at the Kitchen Table where we could watch the chefs at work (Aviary is a bar without an actual bar). Many courses were pairings of two cocktails, his ‘n hers, and some were flights of two or three. I counted 25 cocktails between us. (It may have been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, leaving so much undrunk cocktail on the table.)

We floated out of there at 2 am — 6 and a half hours after we sat down before that gorgeous glacier. And you’ll never believe this but … I didn’t even have a hangover the next day. Milagro.

It’s Friday; I’m going to spam your dash with wild cocktail pictures. Let’s call it inspiration for a spirited weekend.

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