JARDESCA – The Perfect Opening Drink

JARDESCA is a new aperitif out of Sonoma, CA offering a blend of three sweet and dry white wines, which is then fortified with a double distilled grape brandy and ten different botanicals. I know that sounds like a lot in one product, but it all comes together to create a beautifully refreshing libation.

It’s different than your normal fruity, white wine because it is meant as an opening drink before you have your main drink with lunch or dinner. So now it’s totally appropriate to drink before you drink – especially considering it’s lower calorie! They suggest you serve it over ice as it has a light flavor profile–hints of pink peppercorn, bay leaf, and grapefruit. However, you can enhance it with your own favorite herb or fruit garnish, or follow one of their suggested recipes (see below).

JARDESCA Garden Spritz
3 ounces of JARDESCA in a stemless wine glass
Splash of prosecco or sprarkling water
Slice of blood orange
Sprig of fresh rosemary

Pour JARDESCA over ice, then stir once. Top with a splash of soda water or sparkling wine and garnish with blood orange and rosemary sprig.

JARDESCA has recently been accepted to all the Whole Foods Stores in Texas and will be available beginning in March – just in time for those spring get-togethers!

JARDESCA
jardesca.com
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Alcohol: 18%
Price: ~$30

Next Door “Proper Brunch”, Uptown

Brunch in Dallas is a thing. You will wait as long in line for brunch as the one you probably waited the night before to get into a new club. The main difference is you’re more likely in the early stages of a hangover waiting for brunch. And that’s rough.

On the usually quiet little street of McKinney (ha), there’s a little place that, up until recently, was known for its dinner, cocktails and booming club beats on weekend nights. (I mean, they have an entire wall of speakers upstairs.) Next Door’s environmental design is what every loft owner wishes his or her apartment could look like. Behind the bar, the wine and spirit bottles are arranged between stacks of vinyl on wood shelves. There’s no shortage of leather and filament bulbs, and the downstairs patio and upstairs balcony make what is a small venue seem open, airy, and large.

Executive Chef Paul Niekrasz’s dinner menu is already far ahead of most of the culinary options in Uptown, and now he’s throwing his new “Proper Brunch” menu in the mix on Sundays. The menu is wonderfully small but creates an incredibly difficult choice because everything sounds amazing. If it’s your first time, I suggest either the Steak & Eggs or the BFFT (Best F**cking Fried French Toast).

As a person who prefers savory brunch options, I go more for the protein and bold flavors. The filet mignon in the Steak & Eggs was perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked and fork-tender. Topped with a sunny egg, it is set off nicely by a red wine-roasted garlic sauce and paired with zesty hash browns.

On the sweeter side of brunch, it’d be tough to find a comparison to the BFFFT. It goes without saying that it is deliciously rich, but it was not as sweet as expected from a French Toast. (Thank the brunch gods.) Reading its description, I was wondering how much any one person could eat, but it was fantastic. You guys … it’s cream cheese-stuffed cinnamon-raisin bread that’s pancake battered and fried topped with fresh berry compote, maple syrup and whipped cream. Even if it’s not your cheat day, ORDER IT. The BFFT does not disappoint.

On the lighter side, the Skinny Omelette was surprisingly delicious. From the menu description, I didn’t hold out much hope (farm eggs, asparagus, goat cheese, tomato, roasted red peppers, pesto). The goat cheese, roasted red peppers and pesto really flavor up what I thought was going to be a bland dish. Good news for those of us already working on our bikini bods. (Yuck.)

For me, the Smoked Salmon Sandwich was a bit on the rich side. It was delicious and the flavors were delightfully refreshing, but I just couldn’t eat it by myself. Also, it was served “deconstructed”, which threw me off, but I was into it. I’m a sucker for smoked salmon, though, and would suggest ordering this for the table for everyone to get a bite or three.

Don’t think I have forgotten the beverages … we know why you come here. They have the go-to mimosas and bloody marys, but Next Door is known for their wide range of modern classic and hand-crafted cocktails, so you know they have some random s**t in store. I am a sucker for Revolver Blood and Honey. It has become a staple in my beer line-up. Next Door livens it up a bit in their Blackberry Summer Beer with Deep Eddy Lemon, Monin Syrup with muddled blackberry. I was worried that it would be too sweet, but it was just right.

If a hangover cure is what you’re looking for, coconut water is said to be one of the best ways to rehydrate after a long night. They thought ahead and made it the key ingredient in their Coconut Water Mojito. (The name kind of gives it away, no?) The Captain Morgan White, Strawberry, Mint, and coconut water is perfect to cure what ails you.

All in all, if you are looking to hit up a great brunch spot this Sunday (yes,ONLY Sundays, 11am-3pm), head over to Next Door and take advantage of the softer, way more laid back side of their venue.

NEXT DOOR
nextdoordallas.com
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2908 McKinney Avenue (Uptown)
888-381-1411

*Thanks to Next Door for inviting us in and treating us to a meal!*

Take a Tiki Peeky at Pilikia

Guys … I’m so f**king excited for Pilikia, Dallas’s first-in-a-long-time full-time tiki bar, to open this Thursday … and for so many reasons.

First, I’ll clarify the intro. Pilikia will be the “first in a long time” as we had an awesome tiki bar here in Dallas, Trader Vic’s, in what is now The Highland Hotel, that closed in 2010. RIP. Also, it will be a “full-time” tiki bar because our friends at Rapscallion are currently spoiling us every week with their mind-numbing (in a good way) Tiki Tuesday drinks thanks to bar badass Ravinder Singh.

Thanks to the dudes behind The Tipsy Alchemist, brand new ILL Minster Pub, and Deep Ellum club Truth & Alibi and their partner in the deal, Patrick Tetrick (owner of Three Sheets), we’ll be getting another outrageous concept that will have the Uptown crowd flocking. (Ok … I’m going to be flocking, too, as is my mom, your boss, and just about everyone else in town that remembers Trader Vic’s or gives any sort of a shit about tiki bars.) The team has created some winning concepts, and we’re hoping this will be another to add to their list of successes.

So what can we expect? Kitsch, and plenty of it. (Are you excited yet?) The team was inspired mostly by the Beardon brothers’ favorite outrageous London tiki spot, Mahiki (which happens to be where I spent my 21st birthday), but are making a space all their own.

They took over the former Three Sheets space that closed to make way for this Polynesian heaven. Some renovations were made including a wall of golden skulls backlit by LED lights that will eerily change progressively, an additional outdoor bar, and a larger fireplace and a small stage for live music on the patio. The furniture is a mix of loungy bamboo chairs, some really incredible wooden pieces brought over from Bali, and hammock chairs that will rock you to sleep after a sip too many from one of their potent potables. And don’t worry, they’ll still have plenty of TVs out there.

On that note … let’s talk tiki. Their not-too-overwhelming menu (which is unique at a joint like this) will offer 6-7 traditional tiki drinks including the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai and some other goodies like Painkillers, Zombies, and the like. (They have such fun names, no?) Not to be tired, they’ve also come up with some tiki concoctions of their own and will also be serving LARRRRGE format punches in smoking treasure chests and scorpion bowls with a heft price tag of up to $2,000. Not.fucking.kidding.

Not into the tiki thing? They have something for you … a door to walk out of. Kidding. Pilikia will have a full bar and bottle service for the less inclined. And even better, they’ll serve food from a menu that Rodman Shields (Common Table) put together for them. Having a few bites of chicken skewer means you can drink more … right?

: Courtesy of Aaron Wang

So, some other important details and things to look forward to:

The name Pilikia means “trouble” in Hawaiian
Their happy hour is coming soon. When it starts, it’ll be 2-7pm, Tuesday-Friday
At some point, they’ll start opening one Sunday a month to host legit luaus complete with a pig roast
Once it warms up (good joke) in the spring, they’ll be offering live music to make use of the new stage on the patio

Tiki is “so hot right now”, so it’s fitting that Dallas is jumping on the super kitschy bandwagon, and with a drink in-hand. Stop in for their soft opening on Thursday, January 26 starting at 8pm to see what all the fuss is about. Grand opening details are coming soon.

Let’s get into some trouble, shall we?

PILIKIA
PilikiaDallas.com
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3113 Ross Avenue (Downtown/West Dallas)

Open Tuesday – Saturday, 8pm-2am
Closed Sunday and Monday

Healthy & Happy in the New Year

Can you believe that Christmas came and went already? Yeah … me neither. With all the New Year’s Resolutions that probably (for most of us) have already been broken, I made one that is a winner–drink more and get healthyish. But, Susie, how is that a thing? Sit back and let me throw some learning your way.

Here are two things helping me through my resolution:

*I learned that sparkling wine … is healthy.***

To begin, sparkling wine kicks the other wines’ butts ringing in around 80-90 calories per glass. The other guys? Closer to 110-300. See … we’re already on the way!

Even better, (at least for me) the bubbles seem to make me drink sparkling wine a little slower than non-bubbly booze. And, even if I’m drinking slower, sparkling seems to make me feel a little boozy sooner than other drinks. (Is that just me?) So, two more reasons that may I consume less!

Working out CAN be fun.

As I’ve learned, there are fun ways to get your steps and reps in. While I love to run alone to clear my head, I have recently become a fan of buddy workouts; they motivate you and keep you accountable. (Oh, and you have someone to grab a smoothie with after sweatin’.)

If you need a few, quick workouts to get you started, check out Melissa Rountree’s fitness tips on the #DrinkingwithSusie feature we did together.

I have also been enjoying Camp Gladiator, which is a butt-kicking workout, but the high-energy, friendly instructors keep you motivated and moving, so it flies by. Find one of their super convenient classes (a ton of places and even more class times) and then email me for a referral to knock some $$$ off. 😉

So, before popping out to the millions of random shindigs that happen in January (we thought we were done with the holiday parties, but housewarmings, baby showers, girl’s nights … geez), grab a totally totable split of your favorite sparkling (like my little bottle of Segura Viudas Brut Cava). That way, with all your hard work, you’ll not only look great, but you’ll feel great by starting the night on a healthy note.

If your resolution was to be more generous or a better friend, take a whole bottle to share! Then you’ll look like you’re not only a baller, but then you can tell them how healthy it is for them and you’ll look like you care … like, a lot. (And don’t forget to deck your bottle out with a tag like this one by Southern Fried Paper!)

If you’re really into the healthy cocktails (believe me, they’re out there), adding a couple of carefully chosen ingredients may help in other ways. I enjoy this cocktail because adding ginger and lemon have health benefits of their own. Ginger is a natural nausea and indigestion remedy and lemon is jam packed with vitamins.

LIGHT(EN) UP THE NIGHT
1oz vodka
1/2oz lavender simple syrup
1/2 oz ginger liqueur
1/2 oz lemon juice
Segura Viudas Brut Cava

Add first four ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a coupe (or any martini-style glass) and top with Segura Viudas Brut Cava. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Around my home lately, I’ve been favorite Segura Vuidas Brut Cava, which happens to pair well with autumnal flavors thanks to its slightly spicy notes. My favorite pairing? Just about anything pumpkin, which happens to be super healthy, too! I got a little crazy this holiday and kept making the pumpkin bread below and gave them to neighbors with the little splits in the picture above. BEST.NEIGHBOR.EVER.

PUMPKIN BREAD
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine ingredients with mixer and pour into two prepared (greased) loaf pans. (Makes two medium loaves or four smaller loaves.)

So, let’s tackle this year and get healthy-ish with a little help from our favorite sparkling wine and the buddy system!

SEGURA VIUDAS CAVA
seguraviudasusa.com
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#OpenUpCava #SeguraViudas

***Special thanks to Segura Viudas for sponsoring this post.***

The St. Anthony Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)

Being a Texan, I’ve spent my fare share of time in San Antonio–both as a child exploring the Alamo and reveling in the bright colors and festive sights on the Riverwalk, and as an adult. Now, I can appreciate the vibrant culture, but also some different things about the city … the food, drink, and hospitality.

One of the historic hotels in Downtown, the St. Anthony, was built in 1909 and is steeped in history. One of the first hotels in the city, it was originally called “Waldorf on the Prairie”, as it was compared to New York’s Waldorf Astoria but was in a city that, at the time, wasn’t a metropolitan city (hence “on the prairie”). It’s said to not only be haunted, but also the place where Southwest Airlines was first conceived on a napkin at the St. Anthony Club …. which happens to have been the first place in the city to buy alcohol by the glass in 1959. (Bc that’s the kind of history I care about.)

Picture courtesy of The St. Anthony

I’ve stayed at the St. Anthony hotel thrice now, and each time it has been a better and better experience. My first visit was before its renovation, which took place 2012-2015. While that seems like a long time for a renovation, they did it slowly and thoughtfully as to not disturb guests too much and retain as much of the history behind the hotel as possible. And the result was goooooood.

Quite candidly, pre-renovation, the rooms were quite small and felt … tired. Now, they’re anything but with all the modern amenities that you’d expect from a luxury hotel, but also little bits of history here and there. Each hall and room have pictures and textures taken from the wildly extravagant annual Fiesta Coronation ball dresses, and event held at the St. Anthony for many years now. The rooms have more muted colors–grays, blacks, and dark woods–with pops of emerald green, the favorite accent color of Dorothy Draper who redesigned the hotel in the 1950s.

Perhaps the best of the upgrades? The beds and linens. I slept incredibly well during my stay … and I nearly refused to get dressed after cuddling up in the robes and towels. Luckily, I had meetings to get me out of the room or I may still be there.

: Picture courtesy of The St. Anthony

The hotel’s long, opulent lobby overlooks Travis Park and is absolutely stunning. The piano that was once played twice daily when the hotel was first built has recently been reacquired and it’s back resting in the lobby under the lavish chandeliers that adorn the length of the lobby. Throughout we see the Draper green and furniture that’s a perfect marriage of old world, antique furniture and modern pieces.

: Picture courtesy of The St. Anthony

: Picture courtesy of The St. Anthony

New amenities include a heated pool overlooking Downtown (complete with cabanas and a full bar), a new, incredible restaurant, Rebelle (full review coming soon), and a craft cocktail bar, Haunt. Haunt offers some unique cocktails named after the chimeras that roam the halls (and bathrooms and libraries) of the more than century old hotel along with some less complicated options.

: The Lavender Lady at Haunt

: Picture courtesy of The St. Anthony

The service throughout the hotel was impeccable, from the room service to the valet and hospitality at the restaurants and bars. Everything was clean, well kept, and tidy. (Confession: I usually carry Lysol cloths and wipe down a room upon checking in, but I didn’t feel the need this time. Saves some time, for sure.)

My favorite hotel indulgence is morning room service and spending a lazy morning wallowing in bed. The food arrived faster than expected and it was all perfect (and surprisingly less expensive than other setups I’ve enjoyed). Humblebrag, but actually true … I think the croissant was perhaps the best one I’ve eaten since I lived in Paris.

With rates starting around $200, the location and overall experience can’t be beat. I’m personally looking forward to a return visit … especially once the spa that’s slated for later in 2017 opens.

The St. Anthony, a Luxury Collection Hotel
thestanthonyhotel.com
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300 East Travis Street
San Antonio, TX, 78205
(210)227-4392 | Reservations: (866)716-8136

***Many thanks to The St. Anthony for hosting me!***

“Surprise I’m Drunk” tank: Friday + Saturday, sold out at ShopRiffRaff.com, similar at buymebrunch.com

MY COMPLETE SAN ANTONIO GUIDE

#SusieDrinksSanAntonio on Instagram

Breckenridge Brewery (Breckenridge, CO)

In anticipation of the upcoming Breck Trek nights in Dallas this week, I stepped in to the actual Breckenridge Brewery for a pint and a tour. The state of the art brewery recently moved to a brand new facility in the Littleton neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The beautiful mix of industrial metal and rustic wood creates the perfect atmosphere for beer connoisseurs and curious minds alike to enjoy an afternoon learning about the beer making process. I may not know much about beer, but the smell of the brewery alone was enough to make me want to start home brewing.

I started the tour with a nice glass of the Bumps N’ Jumps Session IPA, which is an exclusive and limited collaboration between Breckenridge and Vail (two awesome CO ski resorts). It accompanied the tour beautifully with light bitterness and full hop flavor. We then learned about the German-engineered tanks that are used in the facility the process and some of the things that make Breckenridge Brewery unique. My favorite tidbit was the fact that all of the spent grain (grain that the brewery no longer needs, which has been separated from the sugary liquid that will eventually be turned into beer) goes directly to a local farmer to feed his cattle. Efficiency, people.

The best stop on the tour was the barrel room, where all of the barrel-aged beer is stored for a period of time to absorb the taste and smells of the barrels themselves (much like aging a spirit). This room smelled like HEAVEN. The aromas of wood and rum and vanilla all played so well together that I refused to leave. They have several beers on rotation through the barrel room, but one beer that they always have available is their Whiskey Barrel Aged 471 Double IPA with Citra hops, which gives off aromas of tropical fruits and citrus flavors.

You may think that a brewery tour is all there is to do at the Breckenridge Brewery … EHHH! After the tour, I got to indulge myself in lunch at the Farm House, their on-site restaurant. Rustic rocking chairs, plush and comfy seating, and a stone fireplace provide for a mountain-esque ambiance. We started our meal with—what else—a flight of beer. Up for review was the Nitro Orange Chocolate Stout, the Break IPA, the Ophelia Hoppy Wheat, and the Whiskey Barrel Aged 471 Dry Hopped with Citra IPA. All were delicious and has citrus-y flavors, but my favorite was the Ophelia for its lightness and Mosaic hops.

Up to the challenge of satisfying my hunger were several plates, which we shared as to try the most items. We chose the chicken pot pie, the venison chili mac and cheese, and the salmon with risotto and asparagus. I don’t know which I enjoyed more because I didn’t stop to breathe between bites … everything was that good. As for desert, and my stomach said “no” but my eyes and my head said “OH YEAH, BABY. You have months before bathing suit season.” Guess which won? We indulged anyway and ordered the Apple Galette, a warm apple pie/strudel served in a cast iron skillet and topped with house-made vanilla porter ice cream.

This experience was the perfect lead in to the Breck Trek tour, which will be traveling across the US to give the other states a taste of the Colorado lifestyle. Live music, beer education, and of course Breckenridge Brewery beer sampling will occur at every stop on the tour. The Breck Trek will hit Dallas the week of January 16th, check out times and locations here.

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY
breckbrew.com
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2920 Brewery Lane, Littleton, Colorado 80120
303-623-2739

Breck Trek | Facebook

Everything’s Coming up Stillhouse (Moonshine)

When I was first told about Stillhouse Moonshine, I immediately stopped what I was doing, found this gif, then wrote the headline of my review. Once I got that out of my system (it took a couple of days), I turned my attention to the two bottles, er, containers of moonshine in front of me.

First, Stillhouse is extremely proud of their packaging, and rightfully so–the moonshine is house in a metal can … it’s a turpentine can with booze in it? Now I’ve seen everything. It’s a cool bit to stand out from the constantly expanding clear/white whiskey shelf at the liquor store and definitely begs to be taken on a camping trip, tailgate, beach outing or other activity that frowns upon glass. It’s also fun to get a non-whiskey drinker to watch you swig from the can, because their cringes are always worth it.

Courtesy of Stillhouse

The Stillhouse line offers a full spectrum of flavors–original, apple crisp, peach tea, mint chip, coconut lime, and red hot. Their website offers recipes for shots (they strongly recommend you chill the shots), rocks cocktails and punches.

The team was sent the original and peach tea flavors to try out, so I started sipping the original moonshine neat and immediately noticed how smooth it was– almost like a vodka as opposed to a moonshine. It’s highly filtered with just a hint of sweet corn, which made it easy to drink, but it definitely seemed meant as a mixer, especially since it’s only 80 proof. The chilled shot also felt like drinking a good vodka, but the possibilities for infusions, punches and even replacing vodka in a lot of standard drink recipes (it paired well with ginger beer) allow for some unique experimentation. I also tasted the peach tea moonshine neat and it was even easier to drink, but not as sweet as a lot of the flavored whiskeys on the market. (Thank f**k.) It’s a nice 69 proof and could easily see myself drinking a glass or two of it straight. It made a great chilled shot and didn’t need to be dressed up, but adding lemonade made for a great shot or quick cocktail.

If the other Stillhouse flavors can balance capturing the intended flavor without a sugar rush (looking at you, mint chip), this is a really versatile base spirit for some interesting drink ideas and experimentation.

STILLHOUSE MOONSHINE
stillhouse.com
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~$25 / 750 ml
Stillhouse is available at most major liquor stores in the area

Salsa Limon – Fort Worth Centro

I’m pretty sure most Fort Worthians (I think that’s what we are called) will agree that Salsa Limon turns out some of the best tacos this side of Arlington. That said, I was really excited to hear that they opened a new location in downtown Fort Worth in the Tower building. This isn’t just a typical Salsa Limon … oh no … because this one serves liquor. Now you can get a margarita or a spiked agua fresca while enjoying the yummy tacos. Blessed be the taco gods.

Salsa Limon is trying to honor and preserve true Mexican taquerias–they use only the freshest ingredients. Their best selling taco is the El Capitan, which just happens to be my personal favorite. A buttery, toasted flour tortilla, Oaxaca-Jack cheese, pickled cabbage, onion, cilantro, and whatever filling you want. BRB I have to go wipe my drool real quick. I’ve always gone with my “safe” order of a Chicken El Capitan, but I got to experience some different meats that might have changed my order. I tried the Tripa for the first time last week, and to my surprise, I enjoyed this Mexican delicacy. If you want to just trust me that it’s really good, but not know what part of the animal it comes from … stop reading now. For those of you who are curious: cow intestine.

Now for the salsa. I may or may not be known to ordering large quantities of their amazing salsa and to keep it in my fridge … but let’s not spread that around. So the tomatillo (my favorite) and piquin are traditional taqueria salas, and the jalapeño and habanero are family recipes. Basically, if you haven’t tried all of their salsas, especially the jalapeño, you must. I personally believe that the range from mild to crazy hot goes a little like this: tomatillo > piquin > jalapeño > habanero. Salsa Limon says that piquin is spicer than the jalapeño, but try it at your own risk.

The difference between this location and the others, as previously mentioned, is that they have booooooze to calm your fired-up taste buds. I would recommend the sour margarita as it’s as pure a margarita as you can get here. All the limes are squeezed by their fun orange juice machine regularly, so it’s fresh fresh fresh. Not into margraitas? You can also add rum, vodka, or gin to their agua frescas. I personally enjoy the hibiscus tea with gin.

Bonus- This location is perfect for late night. I have always felt that downtown Fort Worth was lacking in late night eats- problem solved. They are open till 3 am Friday and Saturday nights. Double bonus- they have a pretty great patio that looks onto the streets of downtown.

Salsa Limon- Centro
Website
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550 Throckmorton Street (Fort Worth)
817-615-9760

Hours:
Monday- Thursday: 7am-10pm
Friday- Saturday: 7am-3am
Sunday: 7am-9pm