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Though high-end cocktails seem to be less popular than they were a few years ago and craft beer has lost some of its momentum, there are still plenty of great bartenders and drink makers in these cities. Here are five drinks we think you should seek out in the coming year. Pistachio sour at Bar + Cart My love for pistachios knows no boundaries.
I like them in sweet dishes, savory dishes and now, it turns out, drinks! This slightly nutty sour uses a dusting of green gold atop an egg-white foam to give it the perfect aroma. If it wasn’t so strong, I could have had a few more. All the drinks at this Mac Groveland gem are stupendous — if you’re not a pistachio person, there’s bound to be something for you.
Bar + Cart: 1571 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 952-600-7920; barcartlounge.
com — J.F. Espresso martini at Bungalow Club This flavor-packed rum-based version of the comeback kid of the year, the espresso martini, fueled my personal obsession with the drink.
I started making my own interpretation at home this year, treating friends to something more complex than the usual vodka concoction. It’s a great after-dinner drink if you’re planning to go out after a heavy meal, but also a good happy hour libation that will give you a little energy to make it through the evening. Just don’t have more than one.
Trust me on that one. Bungalow Club: 4300 Lake St. E.
, Minneapolis; 612-866-3334; thebungalowclubmpls.com — J.F.
The Woodsman at Marma If Marma were closer to me, I’d be downing The Woodsman — a beguiling mix of rye, high-end sweet vermouth, herbaceous amaro and allspice — once a week this winter. Topped with a sprig of charred rosemary, the drink is sweet, smoky and strong with a hint of warming spice. It’s my ideal cold-weather libation, and the pretty bar at this new Lake Elmo gem is nice for bellying up.
Marma: 11127 Stillwater Blvd., Lake Elmo; 651-370-1342; marmamn.com — J.
F. La Hacienda at Gus Gus Gus Gus, a pint-size neighborhood bar and bistro on Cleveland Avenue, is such a gem. The whole menu feels hearty but not heavy — their cheeseburger is one of the best around — and the cocktail list starts off strong with artisanal Jell-O shots.
A bit further down the list, though, I love the La Hacienda (mezcal, verjus, falernum, rosé vermouth, cucumber, lime) for how it rolls the smokiness of mezcal into something more tart and earthy and complex and fun. Gus Gus: 128 N. Cleveland Ave.
; 651-645-4128; gusgusmn.com — J.K.
No Regrets at Russell’s As demand for non-alcoholic cocktails grows, it’s interesting to see which restaurants use it as an excuse to sling $14 juice and which places — like Russell’s, which moved into the former Tavern on Grand spot this fall — take seriously the creative possibilities of zero-proof drinks. All the options on their “I’m Driving” section are well-done, but my favorite is the No Regrets (citrus N/A spirit, lime juice and a house-made adobo blackberry puree). It’s a little jammy, a little spicy; you can taste how much thought and time the bar team put into it, which I have immense respect for.
Russell’s: 656 Grand Ave.; 651-313-5839; russellsstpaul.com — J.
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