Vancouver’s second annual Cocktail Week, presented and hosted by the acclaimed Alchemist Magazine is now on in full swing: March 5-11th 2023. This is a weeklong occasion created to call attention to Vancouver’s great bartenders, craft cocktail specialists, and bars.
On top of larger scale sit-down dinners and informative seminars, the week has a handful of more breezy drop-in style casual events, centred around happy hour. The latter is ideal for those who cannot or wish not to spend the time or money on longer sessions for more.
Today I was at the Campari Negroni Hour hosted by Homer St. Cafe and Bar. This was a ticketed event that had guests paying for admission, and entry including your first drink on the house.
As mentioned earlier, this was not a formal sit-down affair but a mix and mingler, a nice stop after work to unwind at and enjoy negronis within. All the negronis were premixed with Campari and set percolating in a decorative fountain, which was quite the centre piece at the bar.
All the busy bar staff had to do was fill a glass with ice, hold it under one of the ever-flowing taps, then finish the cocktail with a slice of orange before serving.
Guests were free to purchase additional glasses or choose a variety of drinks from their specialty Campari Negroni cocktail list. And as you sipped, a live DJ had you swaying.
Attendees were able to find seats on the outdoor street side patio or within by the bar. I recommend standing by the entrance to be able to grab the attention of the rotating servers. Guests were treated to a collection of complimentary canapés that circulated the room, making the ticket cost well worth it.
Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside fried arancini balls, topped with a dollop of zesty aioli and served over a handsome display of colourful dried lentils.
Smoke salmon found an edible pedestal when served on a chunk of peeled cucumber and finished with raw onion and fresh dill.
The tuna crudo was just lovely over a crispy rice cracker, dotted with a cilantro aioli and pickled peppers.
But my favourite was the tuft of freshly baked focaccia bread, so bouncy and light with large air pockets. Each square was topped with a light tomato herbed jam and plenty of creamy and gooey burrata cheese. I could have eaten a whole loaf of it.
Campari Negroni Hour was an absolute hit. This was a well-executed, great event tied together with a strong theme and unique features. And it only got me excited for the next Vancouver Cocktail Week happy hour I will be attending. For a list of all the events and tickets still available for this weeklong celebration, visit the link below.
https://vancocktailweek.com/
Homer St. Café and Bar
898 Homer St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2W5, Canada
+1 604-428-4299
homerstreetcafebar.com
