Peachy Eager might need opened in 2022, however a walk-in might be forgiven for considering they’d simply stumbled into 1977. There’s the matter of its retro-glam décor—which might be mistaken for the set of The Gong Present—however extra importantly for our functions, a cocktail menu populated by drinks named Disco Sally or Tijuana Dawn and the presence of fruity liqueurs galore.
Sure, the Occasions Sq.-adjacent bar is pursuing a really deliberate ‘70s theme, which is undoubtedly enjoyable however fraught with hazard. In any case, weren’t all these humorously named ’70s drinks additionally well-known for being… not so nice by fashionable requirements?
It’s a problem that beverage director Kimberly De Jesus has tackled head-on.
“Most ‘70s cocktails had been easy, however all of them had that component of enjoyable, whether or not it was within the title or the fluorescent coloration,” she says. “We wished to echo that sentiment of approachability, nothing too artful, however thoughtfully balanced, so we pulled inspiration from the ‘70s however had been additionally inclusive of contemporary bar requirements.”
As one instance, she factors to the bar’s interpretation of a Pink Woman, a drink sometimes made with gin, applejack, lemon juice, and grenadine. To chop again on the drink’s sweetness she nixed the grenadine however changed it with a mellower watermelon syrup and launched Peychaud’s bitters for steadiness.
The presence of candy liqueurs like Galliano, Gran Marnier, and Drambuie in ‘70s cocktails introduced one other problem. Reasonably than eradicating them from drinks, De Jesus selected to around the recipes out with extra flavors, whether or not they be floral, citrusy, or natural. For example, its tackle the Godfather cocktail, known as An Supply You Can’t Refuse, consists of each Amaretto and Drambuie however positive factors depth from the addition of walnut bitters.
Whereas the cocktails of the period went wild with liqueurs, base spirits had been quite restricted. “Exterior of the Gradual Screw class, most ‘70s cocktails have vodka,” De Jesus Says. “That alone makes for a much less attention-grabbing beginning profile for a drink, so we needed to discover alternate options—gin, tequila, rum—that will assist help a extra advanced taste profile.”
To that finish, Peachy Eager options cocktails just like the mezcal-based Tijuana Dawn or the Smokey’s Bandit ready with smoked 4 Roses bourbon. Their base spirits could also be much less groovy, however their different substances (Cointreau and fruit juices within the case of the previous, candied pecans for the latter) faucet into that ‘70s zeitgeist.
Some cocktails have gone the alternative approach, drawing their inspiration from fashionable developments earlier than being retrofitted for a extra Carter-era taste profile. De Jesus cites the Up All Night time for instance of this method: made with vodka, Bacardi Black Rum, Tia Maria Espresso Liqueur, cinnamon, espresso, and orange bitters, it transports the presently very in-vogue Espresso Martini again in time.
However most significantly, ingesting at Peachy Eager is supposed to be enjoyable. Lest the drinker neglect, there’s a Trippie Hippie made with two gins, lavender, honey, and lime served in a mushroom-shaped glass, and a rum punch dubbed Disco Sally that arrives in a light-up, 20-ounce disco ball.
“It’s a time interval that evokes a degree of nostalgia that’s just a little extra lighthearted and really feel good,” De Jesus says. “The previous two years have been very unsure, and I feel that everyone might use just a little bit extra enjoyable.”
