Tavern Law Honored as Best New Bar

Seattle magazine's Best Restaurant issue is out and we're honored to be the Reader's Choice of Best New Bar of the year.

Our sincere thanks to all of you!

Seattle's Evening Magazine Sneaks a Discreet Peek Upstairs

Looking for a glimpse into the bar-within-a-bar our upstairs discreetly holds? Our local NBC station, KING 5, took a look around the other day at Needle and Thread... while David Nelson crafted some classics for them.

Thanks Evening Magazine. Click on blog title above to view the segment.
Photo by Kristin Zwiers/ Tavern Law.

David Nelson's Drink in DETAILS Magazine

The March issue of DETAILS magazine has an article by food writer JJ Goode entitled, "Bed and Breakfast". Goode was good enough to include David Nelson's Antoinette cocktail in this story... recipe included. Here it is, "'Day Drinking': The best ways to wash down your breakfast--and potentially get an A.M. party started.

Antoinette
From David Nelson of Tavern Law, Seattle
Combine 3/4 oz each of St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Strega, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice. Shake with conviction, strain into a Champagne flute, and add enough Champagne to fill. Garnish with a lemon twist.
(206.322.9734; tavernlaw.com)"

Thanks you DETAILS and Mr. Goode.

DIY or Just Come By: David's Maple Sangaree

In an article by Dr. Cocktail Ted Haigh on the history of sangaree Imbibe Magazine shares David Nelson's top secret Maple Sangaree Cocktail recipe:

Maple Sangaree at Tavern Law
Rich maple simple syrup combines with bourbon and calvados and a hint of nutmeg in this spiced sipper from Seattle’s Tavern Law.

1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. calvados
1 oz. maple simple syrup (2:1 maple syrup to water)
Crushed ice
Tools: barspoon
Glass: Collins
Garnish: fresh nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a glass, fill with crushed ice and stir. Garnish with a grating of nutmeg over the top.

Photo by Philip Thompson for Tavern Law. To read the article in Imbibe visit: bit.ly/937ae2

Tonight's Menu

Wino Magazine's Rocky Yeh Writes-Up Tavern Law

Check out the latest article on Tavern Law, this one from WINO Mag, where Yeh says, with Tavern Law:

"chefs/owners Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, along with bar manager David Nelson, further extend their vision of good food paired with exceptional drink."

Read the entire article online by clicking on the link above.

Thank you Rocky and WINO Mag!

Seattle Metropolitan Mag's Jess Voelker Suggests: Study "Bartender's Choice" in 2010

In her article entitled Improve Your Drinking in 2010: Simple resolutions for optimal imbibing this year Voelker shares Resolution #1:

"Embrace bartender’s choice. Alcohol is, admittedly, an indulgence. But even—no, especially—if you’ve resolved to drink less in 2010 (last year was a tough one for all of us), there are a few things you can do to get more bang for your liver-processing buck.

Here, five ways to drink better this year.

1. Leave it up to the bartender.

When Tavern Law opened on Capitol Hill last year, people raved about the upstairs bar. (Needle and Thread, I think they call it?) Accessed through a discrete hidden stairway, the hideaway bar offered no menus—patrons described to the tender their favorite spirits and tastes (sweet, bitter, etc) and the bartender mixed them up a cocktail of his choice.

Thing is, “bartender’s choice” has been the convention at cocktail bars for years—and it’s pretty much standard policy for serious drinkers. There’s no need to study up on sidecars and pisco sours before sidling up to a bar stool, just walk in and ask the bartender what he feels like serving. You’ll get better drinks, and learn something new.

This is also an excellent test if you’re unsure about a drinking establishment: if a bartender ever gives you a funny look, shrug, or surly retort after you ask what he/she recommends, you’re in a bad bar.

Places to practice: Zig Zag, Vessel, and Sambar."

Thanks for including us Jess!
Photo from Seattle Met.com