This is the avant-garde cocktail lounge's second themed pop-up; the first was a zodiac menu that featured a new sign weekly with six drinks and six different dishes. Yes, all the signs got the love. No, Geminis and Scorpios weren't slandered ... for once.
This time, the staff and local artists took us down the rabbit hole and transformed the bar into an Alice in Wonderland experience. Furniture floats from above, the Cheshire cat lurks in the mirrors and the queens playing cards line the walls. All the decor seems to fit seamlessly into the bar design, but the more you look around, the more you uncover.
There is an illustrated menu with themed food and drink that follows along with the original story, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It begins with "a picnic, a blanket and a lesson book set out for a young Alice who cannot be found, her tiny frame is tucked in a tree, her head is lost in the clouds."
Cheddar fritters along with Dum Or Dee ($19) made with pink peppercorn gin, coriander and crème. It also comes with a caution: "DON’T ORDER FIRST."
Aaren Prody
Another good thing to know: the bar just announced a new happy hour, so if you pop in from Sunday to Thursday, 5–6:30 p.m., some of the themed menu items are discounted and you can try more of them. Not even the white rabbit would dare be late for that.
We broke one of the only rules of the menu, which was ordering the drink, Dum or Dee ($19), first. We were curiouser and curiouser, what can we say?
Pink peppercorn gin, coriander, crème de cacao, lemon, lillet and bubbles are served in a mushroom-shaped glass. On the side is a small miracle berry. You're supposed to try the drink first, chew the berry for 30 seconds, and then enjoy the rest of the drink afterward. Mysterious things happen to your taste buds after you chew the berry ...
Which is why they say not to order the drink first, because your second round may not taste right. Luckily, the effects wore off and we did not have to face the consequences of our actions. Praise.
WHO Are You? Said the Caterpillar: Our second round ($18) was made with arrack (spirit made from coco palm), skinos (a Greek herbal aperitif) and mushroom tea that is infused with the chai smoke at the table, so you'll gather some attention with this one. It's a drink for the sippers because it's strong and full-bodied.
For food, we grabbed a little something from throughout the story: pig in blankets ($9), cheddar fritters ($12), and the Eat Me ($6).
Our favorite was the pig in blankets, which are thin crêpes layered with rye ham and accented with honey butter, parm potato foam and a brûléed top. The cheddar fritters, Eat Me and other menu items are fun and whimsical in presentation. It's criminal you can't just try one of each.
The pop-up will be open for a limited time — no less than two months, they say — but go now so you're not late for a very important date. The space is small, there are limited reservations online, and it's first-come-first-served.
Apothecary, 1922 Greenville Ave., Tuesday – Sunday, 5 p.m. – midnight.
