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| - I like this place, I really do - and I love that it is located in downtown Phoenix. Even more to its credit, B&T is located in the beautifully renovated old Luhrs building, and the ambiance is awesome.
Having been a few times before, I recently read an unflattering review of B&T's reservation policy. I mentioned this to a friend, a fellow classic cocktail enthusiast, and he said, "Let's check it out this week!" And it was on. I called in advance and thoroughly grilled the polite guy who answered my call, but all I could gather was that reservations probably weren't needed and they'd be happy to see us in about an hour (this was a Thursday evening). This was reliable information - we were promptly seated in a booth when we arrived.
So, how about the drinks/food (listed by order of priority in my mind)? The lengthy drink menu "book" is a little bit much for me, but the owner, Ross, explained it when he came out to our table to check on us last night. True to his explanation, that menu style has pushed me to try several drink recipes that are outside my normal comfort zone (on multiple visits), and I'm glad I did.
Also unexpectedly at our table last night was the head chef from the kitchen (don't forget that this place is more than just cocktails). My wife asked the waitress about noodle dishes (not on the menu), so the chef came out to discuss what he could make from scratch to satisfy her request. We ended up sharing a delicious Thai-style curry dish as a result.
And lastly, this review would be incomplete without a mention of the other off-menu sampling we did last night. Ross, while geeking out over mixology experiences with my friend Keith, decided to let us sample a Czech herbed liquor called becherovka. It was pleasant. Also pleasant was the "secret menu" (for cocktail geeks only) that we received and from which we ordered. This is the menu I will try on my next visit.
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