With the coming expansion of The Elephant Walk in Waltham comes a brand-new, proper bar for us to start serving up some fantastic original cocktails.  While our current four-seat bar has served us well, we almost can’t imagine what to do with fourteen seats, except to create a welcoming experience so that they stay full each and every night!

We are happy to introduce Mel to you, formerly of the Beacon Grille in Woburn, and part of a team there that turned out original and creative cocktails night after night. Luckily, the other half of that team, Kevin, will also be a creative force behind the new cocktail list and he plans on working with us behind the scenes. Mel will be coming aboard as Lead-Bartender/Beverage Director and has worked up some new offerings we can’t wait to start serving.

So why wait? Starting this week, we will be debuting a few cocktails as a tasty preview of what’s to come. First up, is a twist on our popular Mekhong Mojito called the East/West Side. Fresh mint and lime will be combined with Mekhong Rum, a house-made coconut simple syrup, and topped with soda water. Mekong Rum is a mildly spiced cane sugar and rice rum from Thailand that mixes nicely in many cocktails. The real love in this drink, however, comes from the house-made coconut simple.

Mel started with fresh coconuts that she somehow managed to crack open and roasted them. After removing the shells, she chopped the meat up and allowed it to infuse in a turbinado simple syrup for several days.

Next up is the Spiced and Stormy, another twist on a classic, the Dark and Stormy. Since fall is officially here, we jumped on the bandwagon and pumpkin spiced up a batch (or two) of Sailor Jerry Rum. Think cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice with a little lime for brightness and a healthy pour of ginger beer, the end result is an easy drinking, nicely spiced autumnal cocktail.

 

Also new to the line-up is the classic cocktail, the Clover Club, whose drinkers were described as ” a gentleman of the pre-Prohibition school,” a “distinguished patron of the oak-paneled lounge.” Nowadays, we think a gentlewoman would also enjoy this unusually tasty drink.  We start with dry shaking gin, house-made raspberry syrup, lemon and an egg white, yes an egg white, until a frothy consistency is obtained. Ice is then added to the shaker, and with a just a few more shakes, the Clover Club is complete.

We enjoy this cocktail served up, and please don’t let the thought of an egg white scare you! Egg whites (and sometimes whole eggs) have been used in cocktails since the invention of the cocktail and they work to impart a creamy, luxurious mouthfeel.

 

The elegant Clover Club cocktail:

Do us a favor. Come in for lunch or dinner and try one of these new additions. Give us your feedback. Make some suggestions as to what you would like to see at the new bar, because it’s as much yours as it is ours!