The hotly-anticipated sensory-first French Quarter watering hole The Cocktail Hour by Jewel of the South and Deke Dunne opened its doors just in time for All Hallow's Eve. Several rooms of the building which formerly housed Margaritaville and B.B. King's Blues Club were festooned with photographable environments, but the costumed patrons were their own pieces of art. From the devilish downstairs bar, up the neon staircase to the voodoo lair, and finally into the bone temple with a big balcony that overlooks Decatur Street, the fast-working bartenders served up signature drinks including the Los Muertos Paloma with a bloody streak of Cajun Pastor Pineapple and the Rising Sun Margarita spicy with Louisiana Pepper Jelly.
The rain did not stop the revelers from creeping in. The swirled around the spooky immersive rooms with their Fool's Espresso Martini with conflicting flavors of tamarind chili and banana (don't forget the Circus Peanut) and popular Sister Casquette Old Fashioned that came with the most decadent piece of chocolate straight from Germany (and some neon orange fangs). While these are fun, those in the know were waiting for Ian Mcpherson of Panda & Sons in Edinburgh to create his own expert cocktails. As soon as he started shaking drinks, the line formed.
The Cocktail Hour will have many surprises in store over its 30 week run here. Soon, famous local chef Mason Hereford will start serving food to go along with the ever-changing drink menu in a pop-up titled & The Wolf. The Halloween theme will go on for a little while longer before The Cocktail Hour transforms for the winter holidays, then Mardi Gras, and beyond. You'll want to visit each incarnation to see what this team has dreamed up. You can keep up with The Cocktail Hour here.
