Blueprint for Success: Great Cocktails & Food at Blueprint

Roasted Brussels sprouts

Why are some bars always packed and others can't buy a customer?

Every bar has its own vibe, and Blueprint has hit the nail on the head with its chill, rather adult atmosphere. It has the requisite friendly bartenders and wait staff, craft, but not twee cocktails, and interesting small plates. Food has a local and sustainable bent. And there are lots of vegetarian choices.

Satan's Bell

This all translates to a busy, but not overwhelming crowd and a place you want to return to again and again.

Last time I was there, I tried Satan's Bell, which had gin, ancho chile liqueur, red bell pepper, lemon, passionfruit and orgeat. The drink was festive and refreshing. The spicy chile balanced the sweet fruit and the orgeat gave it richness.

The Doctor is in may not be what the medical profession suggests for a cold, but the gin, absinthe and maraschino work well together. Blueprint's attention to craft is evident in the homemade grenadine.

Mushroom bruschetta

The daily happy hour is a nice deal; a couple of cocktails, wines and beer on tap at a special low price, and $2 off the regular price on all cocktails. The drinks are generally about $11-$14, and happy hour drinks are the same size.

There are also a few plates of food at low prices.

The roasted Brussels sprouts are enlivened with pickled red onions, something I forget to do at home. So good. Both bruschetta are yummy; burrata with tomato and oyster mushroom with ricotta, cress and more pickled onions. And the bread is homemade.

The hummus plate comes with warm, homemade flatbread and good olives.

There are also salads; we had a winter version with pear and beets. And the whole artichoke is irresistible.

My meat eating friends love the pork butt sliders (on homemade buns, of course) and the bacon and Brussels sprouts pizza.

Basically, you can't go wrong.