Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/68609
Best Cocktail Program Cure New Orleans, LA the bar. Th e knowledgeable staff is also passionate about serving perfectly executed drinks. All of these qualifi cations make Cure the well-deserved recipient of the Cheers' Benchmark Award for the Best Cocktail Program. In 2006, owner and founder Neal Bodenheimer returned to his T his beautiful space in the heart of one of America's most historic, and cocktail-centric cities, has a contemporary atmosphere that speaks to the style of drinks made behind drinks crafted with higher-end, rare or small batch spirits, like the V.E.P. Last Word ($17), which uses Chartreuse V.E.P. (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolongé), a version of the French liqueur that is aged extra long in oak casks. "Drinks are always changing; nothing is sacred," admits A section of the menu entitled "Reserve Classics" highlights New Orleans roots after a stint in New York and launched Cure in 2009 with business partners Matthew Kohnke and Kirk Estopinal. "It defi nitely feels like a modern bar, meant to evoke our modern interpretation of classic cocktails." Exposed brick walls, leather booths and hanging light bulb add a sense of warmth. New Orleans' temperate climate means that guests can often Bodenheimer. Th ough no cocktails remain when a new list is rolled out, staff will accommodate requests for previous favorites. During the daily happy hour from 5 to 7 pm, guests can order traditional drinks including the Sazerac, Pimm's Cup and La Paloma for $5 and an ever-changing and appealing punch is off ered each day for $6. When hiring staff to work behind the stick, management include the Expense Account ($12), with Plymouth Gin, lime, honey and orange blossom water; and the Fire Within ($10), with High West Double Rye, Chinaco Blanco Tequila and Carpano Antica. Th e latter is bottled before serving to control the amount of dilution; a technique that demonstrates Cure's fastidious attention to detail. www.cheersonline.com sip while sitting at one of the 32 outside seats, Cure has 102 seats in all, and the mild year-round temperatures also aff ect the style of cocktails on the menu. Th e drinks menu changes four times per year. Current off erings seeks people who genuinely have a natural interest in cocktails. Th ere isn't a fully furnished kitchen onsite, but chef Brock Miller employs a panini press and convection oven for inspired lighter fare like a Louisiana Crab Salad Sandwich ($13) served on sourdough with house made kimchi and bar nibbles, priced at $4, include goat cheese dates stuff ed with bacon and Sazerac- roasted almonds. As one of Cure's House Rules states, "Traditional cocktail bars have been bastions of civility and sophistication." And at a Cure, a well-made drink is sip, savored and revered. —By Kelly A. Magyarics JUNE 2012 | 33 KEVIN O'MARA