Swordfish Cocktail Club’s take on the gin fizz is a bed of roses
If there’s one drink you try this spring, make it a floral one—like Swordfish Cocktail Club’s Rosa Damascena Fizz. The speakeasy’s take on the famous (or infamous) Ramos gin fizz is not your average make-at-home cocktail. In fact, Evan Leihy, the club’s co-owner and barman, says in general people don’t ask for it—it’s just that difficult.
“We decided, why don’t we get good at it and develop our own method?” Leihy says.
Swordfish now has the drink down to an art, or perhaps a science, starting with reducing the shake time to 45 seconds (legend has it that New Orleans bar boys passed it down a shake line for twelve minutes). First the Collins glass is capped with rose dust—an in-house recipe, like all the club’s syrups, juices, and cordials—made from Damascus rose petals, lactic and citric acid, and sugar. Accentuating the floral vibes is Black Forest’s Monkey 47 gin, which Leihy says is “like walking in a rose garden.” Add lemon, egg white, house-made grenadine, Montenegro, and cream, and the drink is ready for a vigorous shake.
Yes, this drink is delicious, but half of the enjoyment is in the presentation. After the shake, the customer waits ten minutes for the cream to separate. Then, soda water (house-made, of course) is poured into a small hole in the cream. If done correctly, the foam rises perfectly, like a push pop, holding its structure without spilling over. Sprinkled with more pink dust and garnished with a rose bud, it’s almost too pretty to drink. Almost.
The cocktail pairs easily with the club’s small plates and dessert menu—don’t miss the pomme de terre or the spirit-infused ice cream. While the Rosa Damascena Fizz does come with a higher price tag ($38), there’s more than enough to split between two. Mocktails are available upon request.
