Beyond the gin and tonic

General Manager David Siegman displays some of Ciao Bello’s popular drinks: (from left) Bellini, Aperol Spritz, Negroni and the signature blood orange frozen Bellini. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

The American cocktail landscape has morphed into a high-definition stage for creative bartenders (dubbed startenders). Riffling through the kitchen pantry for inspirations, these chef-minded mixologists are driving a cocktail renaissance with lip-smacking interpretations concocted from a witch’s brew of ingredients that may include tea, lavender or mezcal.

Anvil Bar & Refuge (1424 Westheimer) led the way for crafted cocktails in Houston when it opened in 2009. But the field is teeming with bars and lounges these days, including Hunky Dory (1801 N. Shepherd Drive), Original OKRA Charity Saloon (924 Congress), Nightingale Room (308 Main) and Moving Sidewalk (306 Main Street). And in response, savvy restaurant owners have amped up their drink menus.

Ciao Bello (5161 San Felipe) is a principal player in incorporating Italian bitters and liqueurs to lend complexity to drinks. A play on a classic, its Antica Manhattan is chilled liquid jazz made with Carpano Antica, the Italian king of sweet vermouths with notes of caramel and vanilla and hints of bitterness. Another popular toast at Ciao Bello brunch is amaro, a bittersweet digestif topped with ice-cold soda and an orange twist.

“The Italians have been doing this for centuries,” said general manager and partner Scott Sulma, “and now amaro is starting to be popular with mixologists and sommeliers.” Aromatically complex, amaro is made by aging and infusing sweetened grape brandy with fragrant herbs, flowers, citrus peel, spices and aromatic bark.

Another refreshing cocktail is the Sicilian 75, instead of French 75. Here, Sulma married gin, prosecco and Solerno, a liqueur made with native Sicilian sanguinello blood oranges picked at the peak of ripeness.

Savory cocktails are on the rise, observed Kimberly Paul, the beverage manager at Etoile Cuisine (1101-11 Uptown Park Boulevard). “Along with fresh garden herbs, I use spices in almost everything,” she said. Take her Josephine Baker with homemade apricot liqueur and a dash of ground cinnamon.

Texas Garden Cocktail highlights black pepper with fresh watermelon, lime and Dripping Spring Vodka. “The black pepper pulls it all together and adds that little zing. Otherwise something was missing,” Paul said.

Sunny Side of the Street is her signature drink on the rocks, composed of home-brew limoncello, French chartreuse and Champagne. Top that off with mashed juniper berries and you got a memorable, aromatic sip in your hand.

Like many mixologists, Paul is keen on herbs, orange bitters, lavender and, even, tea right now. Her Bonnie Prince Dram is a swirl of Earl Grey tea with honey and single-malt Monkey Shoulder scotch whisky.

Frozen drinks will forever rule the summer. At Rico’s Morning Noon Night (401 Gray Street), managing partner and chef Jason Gould offers seasonal frozen sake drinks. The perfect pairing for his massive Sunday breakfast egg tacos, stuffed with bacon or chorizo, is the mimosa saketini with fresh orange juice and champagne. The pineapple-coconut saketini is a play on the perennial piña colada. And instead of a margarita, Rico’s serves the Sakirita, which took home the people’s choice award at a margarita competition.

Gould credited owner Rico Valencia for the idea, which rose out of necessity. The restaurateur discovered saketinis while in New York City, and Rico’s Morning Noon Night is “located in a park, so we’re restricted to serving beer and wine. We’re unable to serve hard liquor, but we needed to have a frozen margarita,” Gould explained. “We started playing around with sake wine, and people loved it.”

Summertime is about fresh herbs and fruits – sweet oranges, juicy green limes. But when the winds of winter make their way through town, Gould will take the chills away with a warm apple cider sake. Fragrant with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, it’ll be something to raise your glass to.