An incredible cocktail bar, one that evokes an age where classic cocktails were king: an intimate…read morebar, the red banquettes, and the piano with a light jazz accompaniment in the background, setting the stage for a perfect night-cap.
We decided to sit at the bar so we could watch the masters at work, bartenders who are obviously very proud of their craft. For me, it was a Boulevardier - think Negroni, but subtract the gin and add bourbon in its place. The drink was beautiful, with a hand-shaved ice cube that looked like a glimmering gem surrounded by what was easily the best cocktail I've had in years. (For those of you who follow me, you know that's high praise!)
One of my friends opted for the Gin Cocktail, what the drink menu calls a "high-strength stirred drink": Umburana gin, Grand Marnier, ginger, and Rangpur lime bitters. I took a sip and can vouch for this being a high-octane drink, a quite delicious one at that. For many of the drinks, the original source of the recipe is cited. The Gin Cocktail comes from "Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks", published in 1869 - a nice touch of history that takes one back in time while enjoying their cocktail, right down to the quintessentially British instruction to the bartender: "The recipe of Terrington demands a table spoon of bitters". How imperial!
The bartenders were great, answering all of our questions about the array of items displayed on the bar, from the little misters used to give a finishing touch to cocktails to the array of botanicals and garnishes in the Mason jars on the bar.
Frank Bar should be on everyone's list when they visit São Paulo, whether it's for a pre-dinner cocktail or for a nice way to end an evening out with friends. Muito obrigado ao bartênderes!