“A thing which I regret, and which I will try to remedy some time, is that I have never in my life planted a walnut.” ~ Orwell
Raw, toasted,
puréed, or pickled, the walnut appears in all the world’s cuisines, from Georgian to Chinese to Turkish to American. Every time I crack a walnut I crack a smile.
Located amidst the bustle of Seattle’s Capital Hill, Canon lives up to it’s reputation as one of the finest cocktail bars in America. At first glance an easy to overlook 12th Avenue store front, Canon transforms and transports once you’re in the door, the sunny outside turning into a space of dark wood and exposed brick, the walls lined with library shelves of bottles punctuated by flickering candle light. If you go and want to make it inside, make some reservations…it’s how they like to do things.
Pictured above is a Liberal Cocktail. You drink it out of the bottle you see, no glass will be provided. Like the label says, it’s aged in said bottle, this one up to 3 years. Rye, sweet vermouth, Amer Boudreau (a lower-proof version of the bitter-sweet, and now long-gone vermouth Amer Picon courtesy of Canon’s Jamie Boudreau), and orange bitters all reside in this little flask of perfectly balanced cocktail heaven. Arriving chilled, the drink requires no ice and stays nicely cold until you’re ready for another one.
This bit of mixological construction is the house blend, Canon Cocktail. Triple sec foam sits atop a bed of rye and Ramazzotti (a medium bitters bottled by Pernod Ricard), and highlighted with a Canon logo made from bitters. The mechanics work like so: As you sip the rye/Ramazzotti, you catch a bit of the triple sec and as the logo diffuses over the top of the foam a hint of extra bitter orange. It worked, and I found it very clever, but not too clever for it’s own good. The folks at Canon know when to stop and call something done.
You can also see some empty plates. Canon has a very nice New American menu with a nod to the Pacific Northwest. I was so worked up by the drinks I confess to not taking any good photos of the food, but we enjoyed what we ate immensely.
The staff is friendly and attentive, and thanks to the doorman for trying to hail us a cab as we went back out into the cool Seattle night. We decided to walk to the hotel and take in the sights and sounds of the city on a Saturday, a noticeable spring in our step as we chatted about the evening, and planned our next visit.
When you need a break from the (very enjoyable) chaos of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, walk up the hill to Sonya’s Bar and Grill. You’ll see mostly locals there, many of whom the staff know by name, a sure sign you’re in the right place.
Sonya’s is low-key, low-lit, and unassuming. A place not for Truffle Smoke-Filled Ice Cubes and curated mint root, but for solid and well-made cocktails like the Bulliet Rye and Dolin Sweet Vermouth versions you see here, and very colorful banter with the staff and customers. After you’re refreshed, go ahead, jump back into the melee at the Market, but remember Sonya’s and visit often. You just might see me at the bar.
