Bottoms Up Video

Freshening up the mojito: Anvil's Alba Huerta creates the perfect cocktail forour sweltering summer

The Houston heat is sizzling and has me dreaming of a refreshing cocktail. I want a summertime drink that's delicious, of course, but also light and not too sweet. I want that certain "I could drink this all night - it's that darn good" quality.

I needed professional help.

I decided to turn to an expert for a recommendation in order to save myself time and any potential stomachaches from the many less-than-stellar beverages out there. That cocktail savant is Alba Huerta. Amid her notable list of credits are president of the Houston Chapter of the United States Bartenders' Guild and general manager at acclaimed Anvil Bar & Refuge. In short, she knows her stuff.

You'll taste the basis of a mojito, but The Old Cuban takes the flavors to a more sophisticated level.

When I asked Alba about her choice for the perfect warm-weather cocktail she, without hesitation, named Anvil's version of The Old Cuban. Without waffling on my part, I tried it. My initial reaction was: It has all the traits I was looking for . . . and it was love at first sip.

For this edition of Bottoms Up!, CultureMap's "drink of the month" video diary, Huerta shares the recipe and shows us how to shake it up. You'll taste the basis of a mojito, but The Old Cuban takes the flavors to a more sophisticated level. It's sure to become a beloved cocktail on your drink rotation — summer or not.

Cheers from CultureMap, Bottoms Up! and Anvil Bar & Refuge!

The Old Cuban

Ingredients:

Six fresh mint leaves
1.5 oz. of 7-year-old Flor de Caña
.75 oz. of fresh lime juice
.75 oz. of turbinado syrup
A dash of Angostura Bitters
2 oz. of Champagne
1 mint sprig for garnish

To make turbinado syrup: Take 2 cups of unrefined sugar and 1 cup of water, mix slowly over low heat.

To make the cocktail: In a mixing glass, add six fresh mint leaves and .75 oz. of turbinado syrup. Lightly press with muddler; do not bruise. Add .75 oz. lime juice. Remove muddler and add 1.5 oz. rum, a dash of angostura bitters and shake. Fine strain into a cocktail glass, top with 2 oz. of champagne and garnish with mint sprig.

Consume. You're welcome.

unspecified series568664037

Farewell, ElRo

Creative Montrose pizzeria will shutter after only a year-and-a-half

ElRo restaurant pizza

Photo by Julie Soefer

ElRo Pizza & Crudo

An acclaimed Houston pizzeria will soon serve its final pies. ElRo Pizza & Crudo will close after service on December 31.

In a post on Instagram, chef-owner Terrence Gallivan thanks his staff for their dedication and his customers for their support. “We hope to see you all over the next couple weeks. Come celebrate with us,” he writes.

Open since June 2023, ElRo intrigued diners who enjoyed Gallivan’s work at pioneering Houston restaurant The Pass & Provisions. At ElRo, the chef served a modified version of the Provisions pizza recipe alongside crudos and shareable small plates such as arancini and housemade sausage. It earned four nominations in this year’s CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, including Best New Restaurant and Chef of the Year.

Sadly, Gallivan tells CultureMap that business has seen “a steady decline in business for many months.” Recently, the restaurant had tried a number of initiatives to draw in diners, such as steak night on Tuesday and fried chicken on Saturday.

The early announcement gives diners two weeks to make one more visit (or two) to the restaurant before it closes. Customers may want to time their visit for happy hour, which takes places from 3-6 pm Tuesday-Friday. It includes half-off glasses of wine, $4 draft beers, $9 select cocktails, and food specials.

Gallivan adds that he doesn’t know yet what his next move will be. Hopefully, he’s got one more comeback in him. Houston is a more fun town to dine in when Gallivan is cooking in it.

news-you-can-eat pizza closings

Loading...