Just open this week at 1 Yerba Buena Lane (that alleyway next to the Four Season between 3rd and 4th, on Market) is Bluestem Brasserie. It's a big, airy space with a great upstairs terrace, overlooking Market Street. In addition to their lunch and dinner menus, the place has a growing cocktail program form bar manager Matthew Michel-Cleeve.
In honor of gay pride weekend, we bring you an appropriately lavender-tinged cocktail from Bluestem's menu, that's a twist on a traditional champagne cocktail: the Violet Femme.
Violet Femme
3 red seedless grapes
0.5 oz. simple syrup
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1 bar spoon of absinthe
1 ounce dry Rez wine
Dry sparkling wine
In a shaker, muddle the grapes with the syrup and bitters. Add the absinthe and wine and shake vigorously over ice. Double strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.