Claudia restaurant in Chicago promises a fairytale experience: whimsical, dynamic and colorful with a touch of nostalgia. Since the signature 10-course menu at Claudia is designed to tell a story, with each of Chef Trevor Teich’s dishes crafted as a new “chapter,” it’s fitting that the winter cocktail menu draws inspiration from prolific storytellers the Brothers Grimm.
The new collection of cocktails pay homage to the Brothers Grimm iconic folklore stories such as Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty. Bartender Terence Shapcott created Claudia’s Brothers Grimm cocktail menu; stories of each libation are told through illustrations by Chicago artist Tom Keating. Highlights include:
- The Snow-White And Rose-Red, with Mashiro Shuzo Okinawa gin, Ceylon Tip White tea, roasted chestnut orgeat, lemon, egg white, smoked trout roe, boozy ‘roe’;
- Ashputtel (Cinderella), with San Zanj white rum clarin, Avuá Bálsamo cachaça, La Venenosa Costa De Jalisco raicilla, hazelnut orgeat, mint, pear and lime soda;
- Rapunzel, with Cherry Bomb Radish 8000 Generations shochu; Viola Flower Bordiga Maraschino liqueur, green Chartreuse, sudachi;
- The Juniper Tree, with Hayman’s Royal Dock Navy Strength gin, G.E. Massenez Pomme Prisonniére Calvados, Vieux Pontarlier absinthe, hot lemon water, cinnamon;
- Dog And Sparrow, with charred corn husk Abasolo whisky, nixtamalizated-corn-washed Hacienda De Bañuelos Tequilana, corn milk agave syrup, corn silk bitters, fermented corn; and
- The Queen Bee (shown atop), with duck-fat-washed Marie Daffau Armagnac, root beer leaf, Fey Anmé Forest liqueur, Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro, black ants, shiso bitters, honey comb.
The drinks range in price from $20 to $24. Guests can enjoy the Brothers Grimm cocktail menu as part of any of Claudia’s current dining experiences, which include The Bar at Claudia, The Lounge Tasting Menu, the Signature Tasting Menu and the Chef’s Table. The restaurant, which started out in 2015 as a twice-monthly pop-up, received its first Michelin star six months after opening its doors in 2021.
