Christmas balls, tinsel, presents, ribbons, bows, holly and Candy Cane Martinis at the Craftsman Row Saloon Christmas Pop-Up.
It almost goes without saying that the Craftsman Row Saloon off Jewelers Row in Old City is a holiday pop-up haven of decorative and culinary goodness. Mardi Gras gets a pop-up with all of the gilded beaded trimmings and New Orleans-ese flavorings and themes added to all of its menu offerings. The just-passed holiday of Halloween and Mischief Night came with orange and black regalia and pumpkin spice included with its ghouls and goblins-laced affair. Christmas just had to be a little bit grander in comparison, however. Which is why the Opa-owning brother-and-sister restaurateur team George and Vasiliki Tsiouris (they also act as co-owners of Midtown Village’s Drury Beer Garden) closed down their South 8th Street Craftsman Row Saloon on Monday so to introduce its Christmas themed pop up at the restaurant/bar.
This means that the Craftsman’s ceilings and walls are adorned in green spikey pine needle everything and everywhere, hung and knotted with tangles of Christmas balls, tinsel, presents, candy canes, ribbons, bows and holly wherever you looked – which in all actuality was kind-of nice; homey as in this was the first Christmas party I have attended and October only just closed out.
That same holiday cheer was reflected in its bar offerings – no, not the gi-hugic Christmas holiday alcoholic milkshake the likes of which have made the bar at Craftsman Row Saloon famous (yes, I have many friends who hang out there and drink all night until closing), but for me, the Candy Cane Martini, which is filled to the brim with vodka, chocolate and peppermint and rimmed with candy cane sprinkles. It’s not crazy sweet (that’s my personal prerequisite for any drink), and if you ask for more vodka, your holiday season will start early and hardcore.
As for the menu, this is where Craftsman and Christmas really meet up for theme and taste. Already famous for their smashed double patties burger, Craftsman’s Christmas Dinner Burger just piles on with cheese, giblet-filled stuffing and cranberry sauce – and yes, you taste everything at once. If turkey rather than beef is your bag, that same sandwich is available as The Gobbler. I know people make fun of fruit cake but when it comes, house-made, and as part of its turkey, mashed potato Christmas dinner, you’ll cheer. And quite frankly, now that I’ve had Craftsman’s Holiday Hand Pie (flaky dough-covered ham, cheese, pineapple and honey mustard) and a Pigs in a Blanket Holiday Wreath… I’ll never do Christmas without them again.
About Post Author
