Sketches of Spain

February 1, 2017 No Comments

Cabrito warms up Commercial Drive with a splash of European flair

Cabrito’s Lavender Pisco. Daniel Marquardt photo

Spain was foremost in Jamie Stolar’s mind when she took over as General Manager of Vancouver tapas restaurant Cabrito. Looking to pay homage in a cocktail, Stolar let her mind drift back to sunny days spent on the Balearic island of Formentera. “The island has rosemary shrubs growing all over the place,” she recalls. “With the intense heat, all you could smell was that rosemary.”

Her Formentera cocktail begins with a base of olive oil-infused gin to which rosemary simple syrup and black walnut bitters are added. Using ingredients common to the cooking of Spain also brings a smart cohesion between Cabrito’s food and drinks program. “We always think about the food when we are introducing new cocktails,” Stolar notes.

Cabrito’s cocktail program shifts with the season. As soon as the colder months hit, they introduce a few more “boozy, classic cocktails” such as the Odd Vesper (with a splash of Roman Provence tea) and the Café Borracho (with espresso, Spanish brandy and chocolate bitters). “Our focus is classic cocktails with a twist, and in winter, we also hope to warm you up a bit.”