Looking to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with something other than a mug full of green beer? Go for something a little more refreshing this March, like Top Cut’s Cucumber Basil Gimlet.
Fresh-squeezed lime juice, muddled cucumber and basil, and simple sugar—to “balance the tartness of the lime,” general manager and the director of the beverage program at both Top Cut and Melt, Grant Parker, says—as well as your choice of vodka or gin complete this cocktail.
Traditionally, the gimlet is made with gin “as the botanicals in gin really give life to this timeless classic,” Parker explains. Still, he says it is very versatile in the way it allows bartenders to incorporate beets, rhubarb, lemongrass or any kind of stone fruit. Parker calls the gimlet the “most written-about cocktail,” with roots going back to British sailors in the 1800s and a memorable appearance in the film The Long Goodbye.
If Top Cut is any indication, the gimlet’s reign lives on, as the CBG is one of the steak house’s most popular cocktails. “It is a great first drink for someone wanting something fresh or less spirit forward,” says Parker, noting that it pairs well with any of the restaurant’s salads and is a great match for their salmon entrée.
Having another round? Try the owner’s favorite tipple, the Manhattanish, which Parker calls a deconstructed bourbon Manhattan. “The vermouth component is replaced with three liqueurs that are harmonious with bourbon,” he says, leaving readers with one last piece of advice for cocktail ordering: “Please, remember, bourbon and rye are what this country is known for, and whiskey is the new vodka.”
Sláinte!
2880 Center Valley Pkwy., Center Valley | 610.841.7100 | topcutsteak.com
