Brimming with Bubbles
By Nikki Bayley | Images By Joern Rohde
Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar
604-962-2233 | wildbluerestaurant.com
Bar Manager Zack Lavoie
The Beretta
Leaning over Wild Blue’s gleaming bar, Bar Manager Zack Lavoie expands on his theory of different alcohols for different moods: “Whisky if you want to tell a story; if you want to be in a party mood, pick tequila; but bubbly cocktails are for the beginning of a party — they help open up the channels of conversation and lighten the mood,” Lavoie says.
A twist on the classic French 75, the Beretta switches up the gin for vodka, and has Limoncello to enhance the lemon juice; then Lavoie adds an Italian herb tea syrup, instead of just a plain simple syrup, for added complexity and tops it to the brim with Prosecco. “The French 75 cocktail was said to pack such a punch they named it after the French cannon from World War II. [Though] I love that cocktail, I wanted to make something Italian and a little bit lighter: a pistol instead of a cannon!” I take a sip and I’m whisked away to summer on the Amalfi Coast with the scent of wild oregano in the air and the flavour of whipped lemon sorbet. Pair this with chilled seafood, good friends, and great conversation. “It’s perfect with oysters,” says Lavoie. “I think at the beginning of dinner, we all like to have effervescence and bubbles, and the Beretta [is sure to] lift everyone’s mood."
BAR OSO
604-962-4540 | baroso.ca
Bartender Jacob Moore
The Afterglow
Is there anything more delightful than tasting the first of the season’s rhubarb? For me, no; I love its tart flavour and gorgeous bright colour, but after one sip of Bar Oso’s sparkling Afterglow, from now on, I may have to drink my rhubarb! “We’re riffing on a very summery Aperol Spritz,” says Bartender Jacob Moore with a smile. “We make a cordial of the strawberry and rhubarb and then add in the amaro, Bitterhouse’s Rubato, an herbaceous rhubarb aperitif and clarify it through a milk punch to soften any harsh notes, round out flavours and make a shelf-stable, consistent base.”
Moore explains that as the season progresses, when you mix different fruit, you get different flavours; creating a base this way makes the drink more consistent for the guest. “When you clarify anything with amaro, it doesn’t take away bitter notes, but it mutes them and, I think, makes the fruit flavours shine [through] more.” Topped with Clos Amador Brut Reserva Cava and garnished with a lightly pickled snap of rhubarb, orange blossom gel, and mint (that was so good that I asked for seconds!), this summery sipper is pleasingly fruity with a delightfully boozy Cava float. “I love it when those delicate flavours shine with bubbles,” Moore says.
QUATTRO
604-905-4844 | quattrorestaurants.com
Beverage Manager Jamie Cornwell
Mohugo
Is there anything more delightful than tasting the first of the season’s rhubarb? For me, no; I love its tart flavour and gorgeous bright colour, but after one sip of Bar Oso’s sparkling Afterglow, from now on, I may have to drink my rhubarb! “We’re riffing on a very summery Aperol Spritz,” says Bartender Jacob Moore with a smile. “We make a cordial of the strawberry and rhubarb and then add in the amaro, Bitterhouse’s Rubato, an herbaceous rhubarb aperitif and clarify it through a milk punch to soften any harsh notes, round out flavours and make a shelf-stable, consistent base.”
Moore explains that as the season progresses, when you mix different fruit, you get different flavours; creating a base this way makes the drink more consistent for the guest. “When you clarify anything with amaro, it doesn’t take away bitter notes, but it mutes them and, I think, makes the fruit flavours shine [through] more.” Topped with Clos Amador Brut Reserva Cava and garnished with a lightly pickled snap of rhubarb, orange blossom gel, and mint (that was so good that I asked for seconds!), this summery sipper is pleasingly fruity with a delightfully boozy Cava float. “I love it when those delicate flavours shine with bubbles,” Moore says.
BEARFOOT BISTRO
604-932-3433 | bearfootbistro.com
Bartender Kim Jones
Sorbet Secco
Trust the Bearfoot Bistro to deliver exactly what you want: sorbet and bubbles! Yes, please. “I do love my fizzes,” confides Bartender Kim Jones, “an Aperol Spritz, a Spagliato. They’re so good!” A favourite on the cocktail menu each summer, the Sorbet Secco, a delicious spritz, is back again, and guests couldn’t be happier. “We collaborated with the pastry department on this and used their house-made sorbet, and we also use house-made Limoncello for this cocktail,” explains Jones. “As the season rolls through, we’ll have different seasonal flavours for this drink, and we’ll always have a couple to choose from.”
Topped with Prosecco, the Sorbet Secco has a fabulously fruity nose with a whoosh of bubbles. Not at all sweet, it’s refreshingly dry, and I love the little bump of sorbet hitting my lips! As it melts, the flavour changes and becomes more complex; no wonder this is such a fan favourite! After a day enjoying the lakes and trails, grab a seat at the bar to enjoy this with freshly shucked oysters and make plans for the rest of the evening.
BRAIDWOOD TAVERN
604-966-5280 | braidwoodtavern.com
Beverage Supervisor Robert Kharazmi
Rosa Fizz
This summer, Italian inspiration will be on the menu every Thursday at the Braidwood Tavern, with pasta specials and Italian flavours, and at the heart of it all, is the amazing Rosa Fizz. “Am I bubbles guy? I’m an everything guy!” Beverage Supervisor Robert Kharazmi says with a grin as he deftly assembles the ingredients for what’s sure to be the Upper Village’s most popular drink this summer. Taking inspiration from Italy, it showcases the summery citrus notes of Malfi Gin Rosa alongside Cocchi Rosa Americano (a cult bartender-approved fortified wine made with herbs and botanicals, including dried rose petals and vanilla pods). This long, tall, soda-topped spritz fizzes with bright, tart, mouth-watering flavours.
The most gorgeous ballet slipper pink, this sophisticated sipper is beautifully balanced between bitter and sweet with a juicy grapefruit hit on the end and not-too-foamy bubbles. Garnished with gorgeous edible flowers, snap a shot for Instagram and enjoy it for its refreshing vibe! “I made a grapefruit oleo-saccharum (a sweetener made with just citrus peel and sugar, which extracts the essential oils from the fruit) and used Bittered Sling grapefruit and hops bitters to ramp up those grapefruit notes that come through in the gin,” says Kharazmi.