Monday, January 30, 2012

Streetside Cafe closes. Coming soon: Scofflaw

Posted by Mike Sula on 01.30.12 at 01:03 PM

Danny Duberstein L.A. Kewl Shapiro
  • Dan Segar
  • Danny Duberstein "LA Kewl" Shapiro
More good news on the Logan Square cocktail front. Last night Streetside Cafe closed its doors for a major retooling under new ownership. In late December, Whistler vet Danny Shapiro, along with Kris Nagy (Simone's), Andy Gould, and Mandy Tandy (ex-Boiler Room and Bonny's), purchased the bar from Michael Noone (Francesca's, Simone's, Danny's Tavern) and company. They've been gearing up ever since.

Due to reopen in late February or early March as Scofflaw—named for the term coined in a 1923 contest held by the Boston Herald for flouters of Prohibition law—it will be a gin-focused cocktail bar, with small plates and American craft beers on tap, nothing exceeding $8. Shapiro vows that it will be "unpretentious," with different types of ice, in-house ingredients, and "no unsolicited lectures."

Habitues of the Whistler will recognize Shapiro as the affable wiseacre who backed up Paul McGee beginning in November 2010. Before that he worked at pre-Virant Perennial, at the time the youngest bartender in the BOKA Restaurant Group.

McGee, whose last night at the Whistler is Wednesday, vouches for him. "I have nothing but positive things to say about him far as his knowledge and passion for learning," says McGee. "He loves cocktails and he loves spirits and when he sets his mind to something he's all over it."

The partners are vetting chefs right now, but Shapiro passed along the tentative cocktail list:

Saint Charles: Jasmine tea-infused Death's Door Gin, Rothman & Winter apricot liqueur, Peychaud's bitters, absinthe rinse (Sazerac riff)

Basil Bramble: Broker's Gin, lemon, Briottet Crème de Mure, basil (Bramble riff, nod to Whistler's Rosemary Collins)

Bourbon: Old Fitzgerald Bonded Bourbon, Bénédictine, Marie Brizard orange Curaçao, lemon, Angostura bitters (from David A. Embury, 1948)

Lonesome Hero: Olmeca Altos Reposado, aperol, guava, lime

Budsap Gamble: Hayman's Old Tom Gin, lime, maple syrup, Cynar, maraschino, cucumber ice

Red Tide: Flor de Caña four-year-old gold rum, lime, pomegranate syrup (nod to Beachbum Berry)

Bingo Fizz: rye, Meletti Amaro, lemon, orgeat, coconut soda

Newer Newark: Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, sweet vermouth, yellow chartreuse, Fernet Branca, root beer bitters

Scofflaw is located near the undersung Weegee's, and due south of Yusho and Masa Azul , which should make a fine cocktail crawl.

Scofflaw, 3201 W. Armitage (no number yet)

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Comments (14)

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"unpretentious," with different types of ice

report 35 likes, 6 dislikes   
Posted by hiss on 01/30/2012 at 1:31 PM

This will be a great spot for when one feels like chewing on pine trees.

report 2 likes, 10 dislikes   
Posted by anonymous on 01/30/2012 at 2:32 PM

Red Tide and Bourbon cocktails look good, not sure about the rest of it.

report 4 likes, 8 dislikes   
Posted by FGFM on 01/30/2012 at 5:35 PM

This place looks like it's going to be great. Danny always makes the best drinks.

report 5 likes, 1 dislike   
Posted by gin lover on 01/30/2012 at 6:29 PM

can't wait, lived through too many years of shitty streetside service! A new corner bar is highly anticipated!
Please remove that horrible wallpaper!

report 11 likes, 1 dislike   
Posted by Michelle Roman on 01/30/2012 at 10:15 PM

Danny is awesome. This is gonna be rad.

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Posted by Molly O'Sullivan on 01/30/2012 at 10:28 PM

I thought there was going to be a cocktail called Math & something

report 3 likes, 0 dislikes   
Posted by M.I.Law on 01/31/2012 at 9:04 AM

I used to make old-school brandy cocktails all the time, so I thought that the Bourbon cocktail looked familiar. It's basically a Bourbon sidecar with bitters.

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Posted by FGFM on 01/31/2012 at 2:06 PM

Please let them have vegetarian food. I am glad that Streetside is going to be something new. It is a great space.

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Posted by Your Name Here on 01/31/2012 at 2:23 PM

Did I mention that artisanal ice is silly?

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Posted by FGFM on 02/01/2012 at 5:22 AM

FGFM must like watery drinks and not know anything about David Embury...Someone buy this guy an appletini...

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Posted by Cocktailguy on 02/01/2012 at 6:24 PM

"FGFM must like watery drinks"

Is that why I remember that Jack Daniels Black Label used to be 90 proof?

"not know anything about David Embury"

I guess that I'll just have to settle for understanding financial derivatives.

"Someone buy this guy an appletini..."

There are reasons why I work on LaSalle Street at a high hourly rate and you work on Milwaukee Avenue for tips.

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Posted by FGFM on 02/02/2012 at 8:23 AM

And on second thought, the Lonesome Hero might not be too bad, but the term "mixologist" still reminds me of a Southern Comfort ad from the 70's.

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Posted by FGFM on 02/02/2012 at 10:54 AM

I don't need a bartender who is an expert, nor one who is dedicated to drink making--please! Just get me a frickin' drink.

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Posted by sandwich scientist on 02/02/2012 at 4:12 PM
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