Bryant-Lake Bowl's Gilded Banjo cocktail--a perfect marriage of bitter and sweet

Photo:Shawn Jones

The Gilded Banjo at BLB

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Bryant-Lake Bowl has long been a standard in the Uptown scene, offering great food at honest prices and friendly, no-nonsense service. The only thing it had lacked for me was liquor, as only beer and wine were for sale. At some point in the last few years BLB started serving a full bar, and the passionate cocktail list tells me the restaurant is as happy about it as I am. Here's a great new discovery from a recent visit.

BLB has several sections on its list, which includes classics and more contemporary drinks. One that caught my eye was the Gilded Banjo, a rye-whiskey-based drink with Fernet-Branca (a bitter Italian liqueur) and St-Germain (a sweet French elderflower liqueur), two great tastes I had never thought of putting together. I had to try it for myself, and it was delicious. The St-Germain smooths out the Fernet's bitter edges, while Fernet cuts the sweetness of the St Germain. The rye and Dolin rouge, sweet French vermouth, are the supporting characters in the show, with cranberry bitters providing a complex finish. It's a fantastic cocktail--very ambitious and perfect for the fall. Cheers!