On what will be the last snow day of winter 2010-2011 (right? Right? RIGHT?), I couldn’t think of anything less appropriate than going to Estadio for slushitos. So I did.
I love the feel of this warm restaurant – it’s as if it has been here for years, transporting diners to Spain, and the staff is as gracious as can possibly be. Mick McGuire was tending bar, and Justin Guthrie was roving the dining room as he so often does.
Estadio has changed its slushitos (essentially ingeniously crafted alcoholic Slupees) since the last time I’ve tried them, so I saw no reason not to try both.
Cranberry, Gin, and Star Anise ($9) was my favorite of the night, the combination of flavors just seeming so right, and the star anise really brought it to life along with the fresh sprig of basil added at the end which made the aromatics even more complex.
Pumpkin, Scotch, and Earl Gray ($9) sounded equally intriguing, but for my taste, the bergamot (in the Earl Gray) was dominated by the Scotch. The talented Adam Bernbach has chosen to make this with Ballentine’s Scotch, an ingenious choice that also has some peaty components. This is a personal preference and not a qualitative judgment, but I think of peat in Scotch a lot like I think of oak in wine – I just don’t love it, although I acknowledge that most people do. Despite this nitpick, I happily finished this slushito, and remember – when I nitpick about something, it’s because I think it’s actually worth nitpicking about.