Cocktail: Espoir & Caprice | Bartender: Jacob Mentel

This cocktail was actually about the first date with my wife and I. We were on a 8 destination date in San Francisco and every ingredient is based on a part of the experience we had. Chocolate reminds me of Foreign Cinema where we had a chocolate dessert that still haunts me. Banana reminds me of El Techo where we had this amazing banana margarita that I have tried to recreate. Melleti reminds me of when I tried Melleti for the first time at Trick Dog that same day and fell in love. Rye is how I finished the night to get the courage to kiss her. Together it creates an amazing balanced banana foster Old Fashioned (our favorite). This is a variation of my cocktail “La Vie En Rose” that I went to the international stage of the “De Luze Cognac Cocktail Competition”, the only difference there is spicier cognac instead of rye (rye’s better).

1 Dash Chocolate Bitters
3/8oz Meletti Amaro
3/8oz Giffard Banana
2oz Rye (Wild Turkey 101 for us)

Build all ingredients in mixing glass. Add ice and stir 3 turns. Strain over large cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Jacob Mentel

I am a Bartender in San Diego, I am currently the beverage director for Wormwood and Secret Garden. Formerly I was at Noble Experiment and did events, takeovers and menus for Polite Provisions. Can’t wait for you to try this cocktail that is very special to me.