{"id":8798,"date":"2016-09-05T16:43:47","date_gmt":"2016-09-06T00:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pickydiners.com\/www\/?p=8798"},"modified":"2017-11-25T08:28:38","modified_gmt":"2017-11-25T16:28:38","slug":"gastown-cocktail-crawl-tuc-craft-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickydiners.com\/www\/gastown-cocktail-crawl-tuc-craft-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Gastown Cocktail Crawl – Tuc Craft Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s no secret that I am a fan of Tuc Craft Kitchen<\/strong><\/em> and their flavouful\u00a0dishes. I even celebrated my birthday here last year<\/a>, which was quite memorable. As they are also known for their cocktails, I was excited\u00a0that we decided to put them\u00a0on the\u00a0list for our\u00a0Gastown Cocktail Crawl<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

After a\u00a0funky\u00a0start at the pink-flamigo-themed\u00a0Gringo<\/a>, the change of scene\u00a0was definitely dramatic\u00a0from the cheap cheesy fun to a chic and classy spot like Tuc. I was loving the dark wood furnishing, which made great background for photo\u00a0shooting of the\u00a0gorgeous cocktails with my new camera.<\/p>\n

Oh yes that’s right I have\u00a0a new camera!<\/p>\n

Having been\u00a0using my iPhone for a long time, I finally decided to step up on my food photography. My new Canon EOS M3 Mirrorless is one of the best mid-range models. Besides it produces great photos and it’s super easy to use, it also has a\u00a0wireless function that allows me to transfer photos in merely seconds to my phone\u00a0for quick social media posting. So far I’m fairly\u00a0impressed with it!<\/p>\n

\"gastown<\/a>
gastown cocktail crawl – tuc craft kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a gin lover, I picked the Flowers for Algernon<\/strong> ($13), featuring Odd Society Wallflower gin, St Germaine, grapefruit and \u00a0lavender. All the ingredients are my favourite and together they definitely produced the harmony – \u00a0the lavender mixed with gin is floral but not overly fragrant, and the notes\u00a0of\u00a0fruitiness in St Germaine are\u00a0well complemented\u00a0by grapefruit, resulting in minimal sweetness. Visually the drink was stunning, with the light blush pink liquid\u00a0topped with\u00a0fresh pedals of\u00a0vivid\u00a0colours. This is definiely what I call a great\u00a0cocktail!<\/p>\n

\"Flowers<\/a>
Flowers for Algernon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Food Wench<\/a>\u00a0ordered\u00a0the Frida Kahlo Old Fashioned<\/strong> ($12), as Old Fashioned is one of her favourite cocktails of all time. The drink\u00a0consists of\u00a0Hornitos reprosado tequila, Pierre Ferrand dry curacao, cardamom and an orange foam. An orange foam and no whisky? \u00a0That just doesn’t sound like a typical Old Fashioned.\u00a0\u00a0The drink was almost clear with a very light tint of orange with a creamy foam on top. The tequila countered the citrusy sweetness well, but as I predicted, it was still a little too sweet for Food Wench.<\/p>\n

\"rida<\/a>
Frida Kahlo Old Fashioned<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maggi<\/a> was pretty happy with her\u00a0Coffee & Cigarettes<\/strong> ($10), the sole purpose of her putting Tuc on our list. This reminds me of my hero Anthony Bourdain at The French Laundry dinner, covered in both his book and his show ‘A Cook’s Tour’. To poke fun of Bourdain’s booze drinking and cigarette smoking bad boy image, Chef Thomas Keller created a coffee custard infused with tobacco flavour. \u00a0We certainly don’t have\u00a0nicotine in this cocktail, and we find Laphroaig quarter cask, Amaro Montenegro, espresso and xocolatl mole bitters in the drink. And all together, it does have that smoky coffee flavour that hits all the right spots. The smokiness seems to come from\u00a0a mix of spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, which I find\u00a0quite intriguing.<\/p>\n

\"Coffee<\/a>
Coffee & Cigarettes\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since it’s Maggi’s first time at Tuc, both Food Wench and I recommended one dish each for us to snack on. I always find the Crispy Bacon and Egg\u00a0<\/strong>($4)\u00a0the most likeable bar dish here – crispy bacon just makes everything taste better. And the light and fluffy tempura batter and the bright orange runny yoke make\u00a0it even more\u00a0appetizing. Maggi totally\u00a0loved it.<\/p>\n

\"crispy<\/a>
crispy bacon and egg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Food Wench’s suggestion was a hit too. The\u00a0Orange-glazed Lamb Ribs<\/strong> ($11) was fall-off-the-bone tender, and the jalapeno pepper and \u00a0the orange glaze were such a brilliant\u00a0combination and provided depths of flavours. \u00a0And it is\u00a0interesting enough, I think the lamb dish could pair well with the Frida Khalo Old Fashioned since they both\u00a0have\u00a0the orange flavour.<\/p>\n

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\"Orange-glazed<\/a>
Orange-glazed lamb ribs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tuc Craft Kitchen definitely makes a great stop\u00a0for a cocktail crawl, with a great list of both classic and original cocktail recipes catered to different tastes. I was pleased with all 3 original creations\u00a0this evening, with the”Flowers for Algernon” being the\u00a0gin perfection and my favourite. The”Coffee & Cigarette” also makes a fun and whimsical choice. \u00a0There is a good selection of small plates to go with your drinks and I think the Crispy Bacon and Egg would go well with almost anything.<\/p>\n

Website and menu:<\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.tuccraftkitchen.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

More reviews:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Tuc<\/a><\/p>\n

Location:<\/strong><\/p>\n