Located in the heart of Chicago’s West Loop, Gideon Sweet is drawing fans of acclaimed chefs Matthias Merges and Graham Elliott with globally inspired small plates – and the beverage program is designed to complement culinary offerings with creative cocktails, rare spirits and beautifully crafted desserts.
Enter the Ridin’ Round, made with mezcal, fresh lemon juice and Mallorca Melón tea syrup, about which Lead Bartender Dustin Grilli explains: “I was trying to craft the perfect cocktail to enjoy in the sun, sitting on a patio, while laughing with friends.”
Mission accomplished.
“The Ridin’ Round is named after a Kali Uchis song in which she sings about not needing anyone, but the pretty passenger in her car,” Grilli continues. “This drink is that pretty pink passenger. The mezcal presented starts with subtle Serrano pepper and orange notes that transition to a resounding smoke quality that’s able to shine through, and elevate, the extremely refreshing blend of Spanish cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and Seville orange in the Mallorca Melón tea from Rare Tea Cellars.”
The extremely simple three-ingredient recipe, says Grilli “is an ode to cocktails of the past, in which you’re able to achieve high complexity of flavors and finishes by utilizing three components. The smoky backbone is the foundation on which refreshing melon and citrus notes combine in a tart, subtly dry and complex symbiosis.”
Ridin’ Round Recipe
- 2 oz Siete Misterios Doba Yej Mezcal
- .75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- .75 oz Mallorca Melón tea syrup
Build in shaker tin, strain into a rocks glass that has been half-rimmed with salt over fresh ice, garnish with a thinly sliced lemon wheel
Gideon Sweet Details
841 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL; www.gideonsweet.com; 312-888-2258; @gideonsweetchi
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