Five Finds on Friday: Andrew Cole
by Charlottesville29
On Fridays, we feature five food or drink finds from local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Andrew Cole, the longtime sommelier of Tavola, who recently left to join three chefs in opening the much-anticipated restaurant Lampo, which will specialize in Neopolitan pizza. “Since I’ve partnered up with three great chefs to open Lampo,” said Cole, “I figured it’d be appropriate to leave the food to the experts and focus on something I’m a little more familiar with.” So, here is the first ever liquid Five Finds on Friday. Cole’s picks:
1) Parliament at ZoCaLo. “Be it by choice or reputation, I can’t go to Zocalo without having at least one. Citrusy, balanced, and refreshing, this mojito/margarita riff with basil and Hendricks gin is as consistently delicious as the restaurant where you can find one.”
2) “Cherry Choke” at The Alley Light. “The team at The Alley Light is astounding. I love the depth of the wine list, the food is as creative and exciting as it is delicious, but it’s the cherry choke that keeps me sidled up to the bar. Admittedly, I am a sucker for Amaro, but Micah’s use of Cynar in this cocktail is particularly brilliant.”
3) Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet with Skillet Roasted Mussels at Tavola. “I would admit to a bit of bias on this one, but a glass of the Pepiere Muscadet with the skillet roasted mussels at Tavola is truly tough to beat. I know shellfish and muscadet is a bit cliché at this point, but in this case it’s a perfect foil for one of the best dishes in town.”
4) Jalapeño Margarita at Mono Loco. “A classic margarita with a healthy dose of jalapeño peppers, but don’t be intimidated because this drink really works. It’s spicy as hell, but that’s only fitting of brunch at Mono Loco, and you can balance it out with a shot of passion fruit if you don’t like the heat.”
5) Greyhound at C&O. “I’ve always appreciated the classics, and C&O defines the term. It’s a simple drink, but you can’t make it much better than they do at C&O. The whole bar program deserves applause, they’ve got a great whiskey collection, and an extensive list of interesting and obscure amaro.”