Thursday night Public Kitchen and Bar at The Franklin hosted an event for bloggers to check out their cocktails and nibbles. It was a blast hanging out with Gourmet Pigs and Wilsons Where to Go Guide while The Roosevelt spoiled us. They started out by impressing us with their “Rolls Royce” of deli slicers and some beautiful charcuterie. Paper-thin slices of fine meats made me want to start freezing things like Twinkies and putting them through the slicer.
We tried out a few cocktails. I am not a fan of whiskey, but they served me the first whiskey cocktail I have ever enjoyed. The Whiskey Smash is made with lemon and agave, and is extremely refreshing. It will be my regular drink there. They also served a Champagne Cocktail with sparkling wine and St. Germain elderflower liquer that was a bit more sweet. For those drinkers with a real sweet tooth, the Guinness shake was sweet and delicious, without having the Guinness being too pronounced. 25 Degrees has an entire menu of spiked shakes.
Public is known for their champagnes and their oysters, and they did not disappoint with a nice selection on the half-shell. Scallops were also presented on a bed of grits with the faint scent of anise. A potato and Three Cheese Fritter created a long string of melted cheese like a good pizza and caused us to stare at each other in amazement at its flavor. Comfort food at its best. By the time the sundaes came out it was all a blur.
25 Degrees brought up their hatch chile burgers,which are made with sirloin, and extra-thick onion rings. The hatch chiles were nice and mellow, sparking a conversation with the manager about their sourcing. Everything is fresh. Even their strawberry puree is made with fresh strawberries. Stay tuned for more on 25 Degrees, and just between us, that’s the difference between rare and medium.
Being a Hamburger freak, those burgers look yummy!!!!!!!!