Restaurant Recommendations
By Christian Kinney
Highlights
WC Harlan is the kind of place you wouldn’t know about unless someone told you. This speakeasy bears no signage outside but simply has “Enter” scrawled on a black door of what appears to be a row home. Step inside though and you’ll be greeted with a candlelit, wood paneled interior. WC Harlan is an amaro bar, specializing in cocktails made with the bitter digestif, or served up straight. The small, intimate atmosphere lends itself well to dates or anyone looking for something off of the beaten path. Recent additions to their menagerie of amaros include digestifs from the 1950’s and up. Stop in for a nightcap and try a taste of history.
Clavel and WC Harlan are kissing cousins. Located just one block away from WC Harlan, Clavel is the creation of owner Lane Harlan, WC Harlan’s namesake. Clavel is a Mexican mezcaleira. Mezcal is a smoky liquor distilled from agave, akin to tequila. Unlike WC Harlan whose only food offering is charcuterie, Clavel has an assortment of Mexican bites. Their queso is the queso of your dreams, a melty, creamy thing more alike raclette than cheese dip. In addition, Clavel has a variety of tacos, my favorite being their corn fungus or huitlacoche taco. It’s a fun play on the senses eating what amounts to a mushroom but tasting corn. You would be remiss to visit Clavel and not try their michelada or sample a flight of mezcals.
At a Glance
iBar: $0.96 Natty Boh every day, get your wings “Chef style,” now you can die happy
La Cuchara: meaning the spoon in Spanish, order a selection of pintxos- think one bite tapas, $2 each
Snake Hill: try to find the longest word on their scrabble board bar after you order a unique sausage (hint: go for the rabbit and rattlesnake sausage)
1157 Bar + Kitchen: a small gem hidden in Tide Point, the ceviche is brined when you order aka very fresh and raw
Parts and Labor: speaking of raw this restaurant also operates a butcher shop affording them premium cuts. Order a raw cheeseburger (not rare, not bleu you read correctly - raw) while you shop for duck eggs