Corpse reviver #2?

[bbulkow]

Bauer's blog post July 30th has a picture of the Corpse Reviver #2, which I must admit I've a fondness for. The trick seems to be the amount and type of absinthe, as it can overpower the drink or not add the proper sparkle.

On the peninsula, I like Martin's West.

I tried one at Piacere in San Carlos. Props for having the drink, but the bar seems heavy on the citrus to the detriment of the big picture. (True of Piacere in general. Good vibe, good music, but most dishes could have something Just A Little Better - like the grape-fennel pizza, where the grapes needed a searing and the fennel didn't come forward).

Bauer mentions Flora in Oakland and Comstock Saloon.

Anywhere else worth trying (especially on the peninsula)?

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Flora
1900 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612

Piacere
727 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 94070

Martins West
831 Main Street, Redwood City, CA 94063

Comstock Saloon
155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

[bbulkow]

PS. The Hotsy Totsy in Albany has very serious cocktails now. I was completely blown away a few weeks ago. My first drink was a corpse reviver #2, which they have on a menu, the rest of the night was cocktail omakase, including something called a submarine that the bartender had found in an old classic cocktail book. A late-night taco truck shows up, apparently the ceveche is quite good.

[openhelix]

Single Barrel in SJ does a good CR #2 and one might argue they kick-started the local CR trend a few months back.

[Robert Lauriston]

If by local you mean San Jose, maybe, but in SF the fad dates back at least to 2004.

[JasmineG]

I just had a delicious one tonight at A Cote, they do such a good job with cocktails there.

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A Cote
5478 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

[daveena]

Sidebar in Oakland. The classic version - I haven't tried the locavore, which I'm sure is good, but good God, the classic is fantastic. The anise from the absinthe hangs like a ghost over the core of citrus. Delicious.

[eliu01]

I've only tried one, as my initiation to absinthe. It was at Orson, and it was delicious. I will need to try one at the other places mentioned.

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Orson Restaurant
508 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

[pane]

It being my favorite drink, I have tried it around San Francisco. I had a surprisingly good one at Wayfare Tavern a couple weeks ago. My favorite versions can be found at Nopa and the Alembic, which hit that careful balance you mention. Absinthe and Coco500 are also good, but have shown more variations according to which bartender prepares your drink.

Doesn't hit your Peninsula request, but in case you arrive thirsty in the city, this may help.

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Nopa
560 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Coco500
598 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Wayfare Tavern
558 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94111

[originalfig]

Yes! My two favorite Corpse Reviver #2 are also Nopa and The Alembic (though not in that order.) It is a favorite of The Alembic's Daniel Hyatt and if he is there the day you order it, you are in real luck. I'd venture there are few barkeeps in the US who mix a better one.

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Nopa
560 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Alembic
1725 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117