One of my very favorite places to get a cocktail in San Francisco is the Orbit Room in Hayes Valley. I usually order a Dark and Stormy, but that’s probably due to the flame torch they use to brûlée the sugar onto the fresh ginger they use as garnish.
The ingrediants on the menu read:
- Cardamom-infused gin
- Rose water
- OJ
- Lemon-verbena syrup
- Lemon juice
- Rose petals
- Orange peel
Paul Wakefield, my favorite bartender at the Orbit Room mixed it up fantastically (I didn’t see everything he did, but my guess is some sort of cocktail magic happened when I turned my back). It’s served up, in a martini glass with the orange peel and rose petals floating on top.
The taste was exquisite, floral without the potpourri aftertaste so often found with strong gin drinks. Will have to switch it up again next time I’m at the Orbit Room!