Though proprietor Justin Vann declaimed to me in the past that Public Services isn’t a cocktail bar, they have served terrific cocktails since they’ve opened doors, usually smartly updated and refined takes on classics. One of these that I rediscovered at Public Services is the Tom Collins, which has been around for maybe 150 years.
Refreshing, maybe too much so, Public Services makes it with old style Old Tom Gin – the sweeter gin that predates the London dry gins and that was popular in the 19th century – lemon juice, raw sugar and the sparkling Top Chico all in expert proportions and attractively garnished with a lemon wedge and an unctuous Maraschino cherry from Luxardo. And, served on ice in a tall Collins glass, of course. Both slightly sweet and slightly tart, it’s balanced, cooling and lightly delicious. I haven’t really tasted any of the two ounces of gin in it when, which is a very good sign to me. As quickly as I have consumed them on balmy evenings, I’ve thought it best to limit myself to just one before moving to something more contemplative, i.e. more slowly drinking.
The Tom Collins is $10 regularly and just $6 during happy hour, which agreeably runs from 4:00 to 6:30 Monday through Saturday.
Public Services
202 Travis (at Franklin), (713) 516-8897
publicservicesbar.com
Refreshing, maybe too much so, Public Services makes it with old style Old Tom Gin – the sweeter gin that predates the London dry gins and that was popular in the 19th century – lemon juice, raw sugar and the sparkling Top Chico all in expert proportions and attractively garnished with a lemon wedge and an unctuous Maraschino cherry from Luxardo. And, served on ice in a tall Collins glass, of course. Both slightly sweet and slightly tart, it’s balanced, cooling and lightly delicious. I haven’t really tasted any of the two ounces of gin in it when, which is a very good sign to me. As quickly as I have consumed them on balmy evenings, I’ve thought it best to limit myself to just one before moving to something more contemplative, i.e. more slowly drinking.
The Tom Collins is $10 regularly and just $6 during happy hour, which agreeably runs from 4:00 to 6:30 Monday through Saturday.
Public Services
202 Travis (at Franklin), (713) 516-8897
publicservicesbar.com
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