Everything Is Possible in the New ReCraft

(SPOT.ph) At this point, it’s no secret: ReCraft is one of the best cocktail bars in Metro Manila. In its former space on Broadway, they established a pretty high standard for cocktails in Quezon City. In their popup space on Scout Rallos, they created new menus every month, trying to push the limits of what they could do with their drinks.

But here is the thing: those were spaces they had to adapt to. The Broadway ReCraft was in a building shared with a coffee shop, and they had to split service between three floors. The Rallos ReCraft was never meant to be a bar, and had a counter that was too low for mixing, forcing the bartenders to stoop while they plied their craft.

And while Cedric Mendoza, one of the partners of ReCraft, will say that he welcomed those challenges, there is a certain sense of relief that one might feel talking to him in their new home at 39 Scout Tobias. It is an entire house that they have all to themselves, giving them the opportunity to design the ReCraft of their dreams.

Emphasis on the flow of service

The thing that one might immediately notice is that the bartenders are not stuck behind a bar. The mixing station is open, with no counter separating customers from the mixologists. They instead work on either side of the stainless steel station, and the bartenders will take the drinks to customers themselves. There is an emphasis on the flow of service, and on building a connection between bartender and customer. It isn’t just about pushing out drinks; they want people to understand the work and the art that goes into every single cocktail that they serve.

There is now also a full outdoor area, which should be a boon for anyone who squeezed into the small balcony space in their Broadway location. They also have a full kitchen, which means an expansion on their food options. Whereas before, they were limited to bar bites, they’re offering more substantial options now, like a chori burger. Two chorizo patties and an egg in a bun, served with a side of chips and an aioli. It’s a substantial dish with a big, savory bite, and will likely be enough for anyone looking for a full meal from ReCraft.

Bar bites

They’ve also introduced new bar bites: fried chicken served on top of a curry mayo, and chips served with two dips: crab fat and a tinapa paté.

They’re considering being open all day now. Lots of ideas are being thrown around. Maybe in the daylight hours, they’ll open up a takeout window for a sandwich menu. Or maybe the outdoor space could be used for lunch. Or maybe they’ll open up the whole house as a full service restaurant, just saving the cocktail menu for when the sun goes down. As this is ReCraft, experimentation is built into their philosophy, and there will be a lot of trial and error before they settle on the best option.

Popsicles and lollipops

Their current cocktail menu reflects that as well. They took several signatures from their old menus, and paired them with an experimental variation. Lolita’s Dream, for example, a somewhat spicy gin-based cocktail served with a tarragon lollipop, has been transformed into Dolores Haze, which takes the ingredients of the original cocktail and turns it into a popsicle, which is served alongside a dry martini. The popsicle is meant to melt inside the martini, providing an interesting, flavorful bit of dilution for the classic drink.

Or take Libra, from their zodiac-themed season three menu. The original form is a creamy gin sour with rose and pomegranate. The new version is called the Libramos Gin Fizz, which takes the egg white foam to an extreme level. It is, as the name implies, a version of the legendary Ramos Gin Fizz, which involves a very stable foam that requires several minutes of shaking to achieve. The result is a tall drink with a stiff foam that drinks like a milkshake.

The variations can also be about a shift in experience. Cancer, also from their season three menu, is a savory cocktail that has a layer of crab fat in it. Cancer Moon is still a very savory cocktail, but now serves the crab fat stuffed inside an olive. They instruct customers to try the drink first, then to have an olive, and then to try the two together to see how this affects the flavor.

The new ReCraft is already a must for anyone who enjoys a cocktail, and they’re still figuring things out. It’s clear they have greater ambitions; more things that they want to do. And now, they’re in a space where anything is possible.

Recraft is located at 39 Scout Tobias, Quezon City. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 6 p.m. til late. Call 0917-527-2882. 

All photographs by Majoy Siason