Williams & Graham
Pear Brandy, Lime Juice, Soda Water
Harlot’s Halo – Leopold Bros Navy Strength Gin, Lemon Curd, Orange Tea Syrup, Lemon Juice
Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese and Spicy Mustard
Ham & Cheese Croquettes with Herb Aioli
Apple Fritters with Cardamom Anglaise
Suggested by friends as “a Speakeasy that takes its food seriously” Williams & Graham has been impressing Mile High City citizens since 2011 and although rumors of long waits as a marketing tactic have been espoused by some a 5:30pm arrival granted almost immediate entry to the bar behind a bookcase where service was nothing short of exemplary.
No doubt a place that takes its concept seriously, the barmen including owner Sean Kenyon exceedingly educated about their booze and happy to create any drink a guest can conceive, Williams & Graham features just the right mix of ambiance and intelligence to avoid feeling contrived or pretentious, the low lighting and leather perhaps expected while the vibe is actually far more “chill” than trendy.
Seated at the bar where guests are greeted with a gift of Pear Brandy, Lime Juice and fizz while a substantial drink list is explained as divided by spirit, those easily intimidated are encouraged to discuss preferences with one of three bartenders and although the classics are low-hanging fruit for such a skilled team there is never really a push to up-sell, a few elderly “Jack and Coke” types as well suited to Sean’s sense of hospitality as others ordering things more innovative.
Eventually settling on Gin for my drink of choice, the “Harlot’s Halo” featuring a cloud of Lemon Curd and Citrus Syrup atop a stiff and sizable pour of Leopold Brothers’ best, it turns out that Kenyon knows several Vegas acquaintances and although the bar was quick to fill his check-ins were friendly and frequent, orders from the kitchen rolling out slowly as I chatted with a young intern who seemed well on his way to becoming an excellent mixologist.
Already well fed at Bar Dough, but interested in seeing just how good the “Bar Bites” might be, a duo of appetizers arrived perhaps twenty minutes after seating, the freshly baked Pretzel Bites pretty much par for the course despite excellent beer cheese while the Croquettes reminisced of a November trip to Bilbao with great flavor added by smooth aioli.
Surprisingly offering three desserts, a boozy cake roll ordered nearby appearing quite nice, a sudden surge in traffic saw orders notably delayed and considering tickets to the Avalanche game at 8:00pm my order was expedited, the unfortunate effect being far too much oil on each Fritter and the bowl originally being served almost flavorless without Anglaise, the sidecar only brought forth on request and still not enough to cover the greasiness up.
http://williamsandgraham.com/
