With Buttermilk and Scratch open, Oso in the wings and Frida under construction, there’s a great deal of excitement focused on the Paseo’s new and upcoming treats. But you shouldn’t overlook the neighborhood staples, either; Paseo Grill at 2909 Paseo remains a classy, delectable choice for dinner and drinks, especially now.
Bar manager Johnny Walker refers to their creative philosophy as one of “elegant simplicity.” They tend to use fewer ingredients but slightly more unusual ones, including some house-made infusions and syrups that they can prepare ahead of time – which delivers a complex, craft cocktail-type flavor profile without having to combine more ingredients in a glass on the spot as customers wait. More steps mean more time, after all, and given the lengthy delays that can result in trying to assemble complicated cocktails during peak demand, visitors should applaud this more streamlined process.
As a particularly tempting example, bartender Rebecca Santos concocted this beverage, with a name Walker wryly calls “a hilarious take on Oklahoma colloquialisms.”
Plum Delicious
– Clear Creek Distillery plum brandy, which is made from
– Italian Blue plums grown in the Pacific Northwest
– Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
– Simple syrup
– Fresh lemon juice
That’s it. Well, almost – before pouring, she sprays the cocktail glass with a small spritz of Frangelico, to give the drink the merest hint of a hazelnut echo.
The result is a beautifully balanced cocktail, fruit-forward and sweet, and disappears off the palate as lightly as a summer breeze. It’s a pleasure to drink, even as Paseo Grill remains a pleasure to visit, however much its district grows.
