Spotlight on Sepia

There’s no doubt that the West Loop – or should I say, the near West Loop – Jefferson Street to be exact, has been buzzing. From Maria Pinto’s designs, to Avec and Province, this area is the new Restaurant Row. Or should I say cocktail row. You may have read Erica’s tres chic dining review of Sepia here, but now it’s time for a spotlight on their seasonal libations.

Spirit connoisseurs have been sprinting to the drinking and dining mecca where mixologist Peter Vestino’s classic libations are renowned. For it’s in an old 1890’s printing shop that Sepia seeks to create a cocktail and food lovers’ haven that exudes a vibe reminiscent of the Windy City’s by-gone era. The food menu showcases the purity and quality of the ingredients and the drink menu follows suit. With these values intact it’s no wonder that Vestino has perfected a menu that boasts some of the best cocktails in the city.

Saddle up. These creative cocktails are anything but bland and they’re worth every penny. Sure, money is tight now-a-days, but you can’t drink $2 beer and vodka sodas forever.

Here are my top five picks from the new winter cocktail menu at Sepia:

Cocoa Old Fashioned, $11

Made with cocoa-infused Ridgemont Reserve 1792 bourbon (an incredibly smooth, small-batch Kentucky bourbon), vanilla and toffee bitters. Then muddled with orange and brandied cherries. Wow.

The Dead of Winter, $11 (how fitting)

Blended scotch, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and a Laphroaig rinse .

Note: You rinse a glass by taking a quarter of an ounce of the liquor, then swirling it around the inside of the glass so it coats the interior from base to rim.

Sepia Mule, $10

Ginger-infused vodka (to die for), fresh lime juice and ginger beer.

You’re Welcome, $10

Veev Acai, Domain de Canton ginger liqueur (this cheeky chica’s favorite liqueur), Mathilde cassis (black currant liqueur), lime juice and egg white.

Coffee and Cigarettes, $10

Sazerac rye, Navan vanilla liqueur (try it in your next Manhattan), Punt e Mes vermouth and orange flower water.