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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/28636
SCENE By Ligaya Figueras The Unusual Negroni, which is barrel aged, is often served with appetizers. fl anked by exposed brick and crimson- colored textured wallpaper, is duskily lit from naked bulbs that hang from a wood ceiling and tea light candles on the tables and at the 11-seat bar. Altnether’s goal of creating an “exclusive club” atmosphere fl ows into an upstairs lounge that holds a pair of communal wooden tables and black leather couches. HAND CRAFTED COCKTAILS T e drink menu at Taste includes more than three dozen cocktails, organized by fl avor profi le. For instance, some libations are categorized as “Tart, Spiced, Savory,” others “Rich, Dark, Bold,” still others taste “Full, Dark, Robust.” Listed among the “Tart, Bright, Citrus” cocktails are the popular Rosie the Riveter, priced at $10, made with tea-infused Flor de Caña Silver Rum, hibiscus liqueur, orgeat almond syrup, lemon juice, egg white and muddled dried rose buds; and the best-seller, In a Pickle, which is menued at $10, and is a sprightly combination of Hendrick’s Gin, St. Germain, Velvet Falernum, lime juice and muddled dill and cucumber. On busy nights at the previous location, A Grown-Up Taste St. Louis’ premiere cocktail lounge boasts speakeasy sophistication in a new space. C ocktailians have fl ocked to Taste by Niche in St. Louis ever since the craft cocktail lounge opened in the summer of 2009. But the tiny 18-seater quickly outgrew its digs. Chef-owner Adam Altnether recently moved the cocktail haven to a larger space in the trendy Central West End neighborhood, where he and talented beverage director Ted Kilgore are raising the bar to new heights. “Taste by Niche was limited in size, but became something that people really dug because it was so personal,” explains Kilgore. “Our goal at this space was to do the exact same thing in a more comfortable environment that really spoke to what we love, which is cocktails, food, a great atmosphere and great service. We wanted to take the old Taste and amp it up, to wrap Taste into the entire experience.” A nondescript front door and heavy black curtains in the entryway set the stage for this cocktail den that exudes a Prohibition-era, speakeasy vibe. T e narrow space, www.cheersonline.com bartenders mixed approximately 40 In a Pickle cocktails. “Over half the people would order that,” says Kilgore. While it is too soon to state with certainty the bar volume at the new space, considering that dining capacity has tripled, Kilgore anticipates selling an average of 300 total cocktails (doled out to 175 guests) on bustling weekend evenings. All of the drinks on the menu are original creations by Kilgore and his bar crew except for a section dubbed “Favorite Classic Concoctions” and “Friends of Ours.” T e former include the likes of a Manhattan, Old-Fashioned, Dry Martini and Daiquiri, while “Friends of Ours” is a guest section; the inaugural menu at the relocated Taste included guest recipes courtesy of cocktail legends Gaz Regan and Dale DeGroff . All cocktails are $10, with punches and pitchers priced at $45. Also available are 10 wines, for $10 a glass, and six bottled craft beers, priced at $7. The clientele at Taste—typically professionals between the ages of 25 APRIL 2011 | 15 JONATHAN S. POLLACK