This story is part of The Stranger’s 2017 Guide to Food and Drink (International Edition), which includes recommendations of more than 100 restaurants serving tastes from around the globe.
Since the dawn of the craft cocktail movement, barkeeps have revealed increasingly culinary inclinations. Herbs and spices have long made their way from the kitchen to the bar. But instead of stopping at commonplace baking spices (clove, allspice, nutmeg), some drink makers are digging deeper into the spice cabinet for flavors more associated with Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine.
“Bartenders are going into the kitchen and asking chefs how do you use these tools, these flavors, and dragging that back into the bar,” says Jesse Cyr, general manager of Rob Roy.