Beloved local restaurant Sylvain—part of LeBLANC + SMITH’s collection of restaurants—has launched a new Happy Hour just in time for fall. Taking place Wednesday through Sunday from 4-6 p.m., it features a group of Lucky 7 cocktails (all are $7) served with a lagniappe of chili roasted almonds. Choose from drinks like the Sazerac, Moscow Mule, Mexican Firing Squad, Sylvain Gibson, Champagne cocktail or wine by the glass. Also, all LeBLANC + SMITH restaurants (Cavan, Longway Tavern, Meauxbar and Sylvain) are now accepting reservations through Tock, allowing customers to book tables either on the patio or indoors when applicable. 625 Chartres St., 265-8123, sylvainnola.com.
Spirited Awards
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation—a non-profit organization that educates, advances and supports the hospitality industry—has announced its winner of the 2020 Spirited Awards. The award, which recognizes top beverage professionals, products and establishments across the global spirits and cocktail community, was presented on Sept. 21 and 24. This year’s virtual TOTC conference had the theme of catalyst (to spark change). Each of this year’s award winners represent a global class of change-makers.
The first round of winners announced on Sept. 21 included Best American Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons (Café La Trova, Miami); Best American Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard (Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco); and Best New American Cocktail Bar presented by Elijah Craig (Silver Lyan, Washington, D.C.). The second round of winners on Sept. 24 included American Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard (Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco); the Pioneer Award presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (Shannon Mustipher, Beverage Director, Glady’s Caribbean, New York, and author of Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails); and the Helen David Lifetime Achievement presented by William Grant & Sons (Audrey Saunders, founder of Pegu Club, New York). Locally, Jewel of the South was a finalist for both the Best American Restaurant Bar and the Best American Bar Team awards. talesofthecocktail.org.
Fall Cocktails
Top-tier local restaurants Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro—both from celebrity chef Nina Compton—have introduced new fall cocktails that are sure to warm from the inside out. At Compère Lapin, try the Florio & Fauna, made with Florio fernet, Dolin Blanc, Huana Guanabana liqueur, lemon, Bitter Queen’s thai spice bitters and Drumshanbo gunpowder Irish gin. Another new option is the Wayward Isles, made with Tattersall Aquavit, Bonal, Miletti Amaro, Benedictine and Peychaud’s bitters. Meanwhile, Bywater American Bistro is offering the Romagna Fizz, made with Rittenhouse rye, Elizabeth Allspice Dram, simple syrup, lemon, lime, egg white, heavy cream, Angostura bitters and Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco. 535 Tchoupitoulas St., 599-2119, comperelapin.com; 2900 Chartres St., 605-3827, bywateramericanbistro.com.
Centennial Celebration
Broussard’s, the historic French-Creole restaurant in the Vieux Carré, is marking its 100th anniversary this year. To celebrate, the restaurant is offering bottles of wine for $19.20 (to coincide with the year the restaurant opened) as well as a three-course wine pairing for $19.20 to go along with a special pre-fixe menu spotlighting pecans. 819 Conti St., 581-3866, broussards.com.
