3010 20th Street, The Mission
Status: Open
Phone: (415) 471-2999
After years of building out the Trick Dog bar space, across the courtyard from Central Kitchen, barmen Scott Baird, Josh Harris and Jason Henton are raising the curtains on their new baby bar this afternoon, in the Mission. Remember, this is just days after American Grilled Cheese Kitchen made things official across the way.
Although the interior isn't 100% complete, the cocktail menu is. As you can see on their website, there's a groovy theme going: each drink gets its name from a color in the Pantone scheme, as in Baby Turtle (Ocho tequila, campari, grapefruit, cinnamon, lime, egg white) and Vintage Photo (Denizen white rum, Amaro Averna, pineapple, coconut vinegar, allspice).
There are also several options in a Large Format category, like Buttermilk Punch (Wild Turkey bourbon, marshmallow root-infused milk, buttermilk, orange liqueur, Earl Grey tea, sassafras, lemon). Non-alcoholic options, "high balls," and several combinations of neat spirits served with an appropriate chaser (i.e. George Dickel #12 Tennessee Whiskey with dill pickle gelée) are also available.
Harris spearheads the "inventive" food menu, available until 2 a.m. nightly. It includes a Scotch egg wrapped in salt cod, Buttermilk-fried sweetbreads with peach-apricot sweet-and-sour sauce, and—this was bound to happen eventually—Fernet ice cream made with creme de menthe and toasted cacao nibs.
Although the interior isn't totally finished yet, the team already mentioned its whimsical pink floor in the mezzanine upstairs. A healthy dose of color and commissioned art is used throughout the space to punch up the bar's predominant features: cast-iron, wireglass, large factory windows, and steel-framed lights sourced from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, hanging overhead. The bar's muse, Josh Harris' vintage cast-iron Trick Dog piggy bank, sits on the bar top.
Starting today, visit Trick Dog nightly from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. And do drop those early reports in the tip jar.
· All Trick Dog Coverage [~ ESF ~]