Image via Complex Original
15 Romolo
Neighborhood: North Beach
15 Romolo Pl.
15romolo.com
(415) 398-1359
@15Romolo
Discreetly stationed between a neon-lit strip club and the site of San Francisco’s first jailhouse, 15 Romolo is the kind of back-alley watering hole that oozes character, cultivation, and old-world ambiance. This classy little establishment, located in the distinguished yet seedy North Beach neighborhood, is named for the address it shares with the Basque Hotel—a guesthouse that historically has catered to a clientele of predominantly Basque heritage.
It is a sweet summer-like evening in San Francisco, and your faithful correspondent is here on assignment to meet Ian Adams, a fine local gentleman and bar manager of 15 Romolo. The purpose of today’s visit is to discuss gin, exploring this fabled spirit that in years past has begun to deliver in new ways on its promise as a liquor that its maker can imbue with a wide range of flavors. The fact that virtually all gin begins its life as essentially vodka, or a flavorless base spirit, means that the sky is the limit. However, in order to be considered a proper gin, there is at least one essential ingredient: juniper berry—a woodsy, slightly bitter botanical.
Most gins also include a citrus essence, oftentimes from the sour and primitive-looking bergamot orange. Bombay Sapphire has released a new label “Bombay Sapphire East,” that showcases the oriental heritage of the traditional botanical structure found in gin. Cardamom, coriander, and ginger are just a few of the spices that you may also pick up on.
For those that prefer their alcoholic beverages with a bit of back story, Ian is the kind of bartender that ensures your visit to be equal parts education and recreation. He skillfully prepared a flight of four gin cocktails and help me get my learn on. Here are the delicious gin cocktails everyone in S.F. should be drinking this spring.
RELATED: The 25 Best Cocktails in NYC Right Now, in GIFs
RELATED: Lush Life: 10 Juice Cocktails To Make This Weekend
RELATED: How to Brew Your Own Ginger Beer from Scratch
50/50 Martini
Flavor profile: Dry with lots of botanicals.
Why you need to drink it: You can't go wrong with a classic.
Ingredients: Bombay Sapphire gin, house-made bianco vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, a dash of lemon bitters, and a lemon twist.
“When you are working with gin, it all starts with the classics,” Ian explains. The cocktail menu at 15 Romolo reflects this sentiment, though it also pushes boundaries to keep things fresh and exciting. One of these menu items is the 50/50 Martini, which is—you guessed it—half gin, half vermouth. While the recipe for the 50/50 Martini is older than your great-granddad, what makes the this martini special at 15 Romolo is the fact that its sherry-based vermouth is made in-house. In keeping with the Spanish-Basque heritage of the attached guesthouse, the vermouth at 15 Romolo is based on a bone-dry sherry, which is infused with 17 to 21 botanicals (depending on the mood of the day), and sweetened with a bit of pear nectar to fortify and flavor. This concoction is topped off with a dash of orange and lemon bitters. Describing his take on cocktails such as the 50/50 Martini, Ian explains “We have a lot of fun with it—we start with the classics and tinker with them a little bit.” Fortunately, for those who’ve tried martinis in the past and thought them too strong, this one won’t have you wobbling out of the exit—at least not the first one.
Negroni
Flavor profile: Bittersweet with hints of citrus.
Why you should drink it: It's sophisticated and modern.
Ingredients: Bombay Sapphire gin, Campari, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, a twist of orange for garnish.
With a particular appeal to those with an affection for bittersweet cocktails, the Negroni is another gin cocktail with a distinguished past and roots dating to the early 1900s. It’s a boozy mix of gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, with an orange peel flourish. In many places, ordering a Negroni, or really any other Campari-based drink for that matter, will garner some praise for being a “sophisticated” choice. In the suaver corners of San Francisco, the Negroni might as well be running from the faucets—so don’t expect any heads to turn. According to Ian, at 15 Romolo this is a favorite among bartenders and pretty much everyone else.
The Pimm’s Cup
Flavor profile: Refreshing, minty and sweet.
Why you should drink it: It's perfect for a warm spring day.
Ingredients: Fresh cucumber, fresh mint, Angostura bitters, spicy ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice, Pimm's no. 1, Bombay Sapphire gin, and a sprig of mint for garnish.
You may think at this point that gin cocktails are by definition bitter and on the heavier side. If you need a gateway drug before hitting the harder stuff, go for the Pimm’s Cup. This is another classic gin cocktail that on a warm day in San Francisco will refresh the senses. Typically served in a highball glass, this cocktail uses Pimm’s as its base, and is mixed with sparkling lemonade, 7-Up or ginger beer. At 15 Romolo, they take it a step further, muddling in fresh mint, adding cucumber, fresh lemon juice, and a dash of angostura bitters. Most importantly, the house recipe calls for an extra shot of gin because—well, why not. It’s light, refreshing, but boozy enough to get the job done. It’s not unsurprising that year round the house Pimm’s Cup outsells all other cocktails—and it’s not even on the menu.
The Darjeeling Ltd.
Flavor profile: Similar to a gimlet, lots of fresh lime juice and tinctures.
Why you should drink it: Because you're into trying new things.
Ingredients: Earl Grey tea tincture, tumeric tincture, gum syrup, fresh lime juice, Bombay Sapphire East gin.
At this point your faithful correspondent has made it to the lightning round—gin cocktail number four. Somewhat of a departure from the previous three, the concluding cocktail is a unique creation by 15 Romolo bartender Bryan Shoffit. The Darjeeling Ltd., as it is called, is a worthy contribution to the gin cocktail canon. It is similar to the gin gimlet, and includes gin, fresh lime juice, and gum syrup. The twist however is the addition of a few drops each of turmeric and earl grey tinctures. Served in a coupe glass, the Darjeeling Ltd. is garnished with a few turns of fresh ground black pepper. In a parallel universe, this India-inspired cocktail could have been Rudyard Kipling’s inspiration for the dancing bear passage in the Jungle Book.