Ravello Ristorante, an Amalfi coast-inspired restaurant in the heart of Montgomery, Alabama, has expanded upwards with the opening of its rooftop bar, Bar Attico.
Bar Attico is described as chic and intimate, with its speakeasy-like libation room paying homage to the original building and the glory days of the Roaring Twenties. The comfy, cozy, and inviting space lends itself to conversation and cocktails that are as flavorful as the vibe. It’s described as the livelier and lighter side of what Ravello Ristorante offers just down the stairs.
The cocktail program at Bar Attico encourages guests to push the limits of their palate, with inspiration from Italian traditions. Guests will find that their libations are thoughtfully crafted with fresh, local ingredients, herbal flavors, bitter Italian-made liqueurs and house-made ingredients, such as Limoncello and Espresso, and fresh Alabama peaches. Cocktails like the “Manhattan Nevada,” which consists of Old Forester 100, peach, dry vermouth and smoke, and “Cadillac Vibin’” with its amaretto, rye whiskey, Torino Vermouth and egg white, beautifully blend Italian staples and close-to-home flavors. Wine is not forgotten, and their selections help to “transport time and place,” with choices from a Portuguese Pet Nat, to a classic Lagrein to the Russian River Valley for a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, and more.
Nicholas Wyatt, the general manager of Bar Attico, believes that to level up your cocktail game, the focus must be the technique.
“Ingredient quality can’t help a poorly prepared drink. With water as the most crucial ingredient, just a half ounce of too much or too little can be the difference between a world-class libation and a mess in the bottom of your dump well.”
Regarding a bartender’s skill set, memory and a robust knowledge base is imperative. “Be a student of the world. Intentionally focus on topics outside of the bar world. Although picking new recipes or discovering other mixologists’ work is intoxicating, it means nothing if you can’t speak with guests on a wide range of other topics. Without being able to build rapport with people from various backgrounds, you’re setting yourself up to fail.”
Wyatt sees cocktail culture integrating itself into other areas of the hospitality scene, from coffee chops to cigar lounges to escape rooms and arcades. “I don’t think guests will have to just drink beer when they really want a cocktail at their local dive for much longer. Respect for well-made cocktails is growing out of a niche market and into the mainstream.”
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Source: Mixology News
