Home FOOD & DINING Libations for Locals: July 2015

Libations for Locals: July 2015

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Tipping Point: Check out these local haunts for new spins on old classics.

Photo by Jason Hutter
Photo by Jason Hutter

The American Sector

Situated in The National WWII Museum, The American Sector is not simply an addition to a world-class museum, it is a world-class restaurant and bar unto itself. The beverage menu is a well thought out homage to most of the countries who fought in WWII.

The drink menu features German, French, American and New Zealand wine, and the lavish Monte Antico (an Italian red-blend wine). Another specialty is the Midway Mule, a playful take on the Moscow Mule, which was a favorite drink during the war. The Midway Mule is a mixture of vodka, fresh lime juice, ginger and simple syrup, topped with ginger ale.

According to Trip Advisor, the WWII Museum is the No. 1 attraction in New Orleans and the fourth most visited museum in the nation. One need not take the entire museum tour to enjoy this hidden gem, where nostalgia for an America at the apex of its history is still alive and thriving. 945 Magazine St., (504) 528-1940, nationalww2museum.org/american-sector

Swizzle Stick Bar

Swizzle Stick Bar in Cafe Adelaide comes from a long line of New Orleans establishments, with a provenance that includes Commander’s Palace and SoBou, among others. But Benton Bourgeois, the new lead bartender, contends that Swizzle Stick Bar is almost an entirely new creation — thanks to a new drink menu.

His credo is that every eighth of an ounce counts, and that the slightest over pour can throw off the balance of a good drink. With that in mind, he took the initiative to create some of the most refreshing cocktails in the city, geared toward sours, like the Brandy Crusta.

However, when it comes to tasting his truest concoction, he says to try the Ponchatoula Smash Buffalo, made with a trace of bourbon, house-made strawberry syrup, Amaro Averna and mint, served on crushed ice. 300 Poydras St., (504) 595-3305, cafeadelaide.com

Union Station

Union Station (formerly The Bricks Courtyard Bar and Grill) has been under new management since 2012, and, by its new-found popularity, whoever is making decisions, is making the right ones.

Day by day, customers usually stop in to enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and the $5 beer and a shot special, which includes any common domestic beer and any shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Jägermeister or well liquors. If that doesn’t whet the whistle, says lead bartender Talor Neeley, one of her handpicked and handcrafted concoctions should do the trick. Her piece de resistance — the name itself should give one pause — is the jalapeño cilantro Margarita made with mango and jalapeño-infused tequila, served with muddled cilantro on the rocks.

Neeley observes that most customers indulge in what she’s affectionately labeled the bar’s “gourmet pub grub” before moving on to the next drink, which in this case would be her delicate take on an infused Bloody Mary. 735 St. Joseph St., (504) 522-4934, unionstationneworleans.com