On a Toot!: Boston Edition
The Glorious Return of Eastern Standard, and More From Boston's New Cocktail Bar Boom.
Welcome to the latest edition of “On a Toot!,” a feature in which I try to remember some of the liquid highlights of the week, and other highlights in general. “On a Toot!” will only run on Fridays and will only be available to paid subscribers. We hope you enjoy it.
“The bar is packed all day long with New York debutantes, brokers, Newport dowagers, bad women who walk good dogs on Park Avenue, chic divorcees and college boys on toots.”—Daily News, 1937, describing the scene at the Ritz Bar in Paris.
The outbreak of the Covid pandemic—which overtook the United States four years ago this month—led to the heartbreaking closures of many iconic cocktail bars. Few hit as hard as the demise of Eastern Standard, which was in many ways the cornerstone of Boston craft cocktail culture during its 15-year reign on Kenmore Square. If Drink—which recently closed abruptly—was the city’s haute, highbrow, menu-less speakeasy, Eastern Standard was its town hall, where Red Sox fans and Red Hook drinkers alike gathered in shiny brasserie splendor, one of the first cocktail destinations to do high-volume trade right. It was something of a miracle, then, when the restaurant returned last October, still bearing the same name, the same vibe and the same beverage director, Jackson Cannon. The new Eastern Standard remains close to Fenway Park (775 Beacon Street), and close to its original aesthetic, with its long marble bar, leather banquettes, raw bar and steak tartare. But it is even larger than the first iteration, which is saying something, since the first one was sprawling. As at the old haunt, the Jack Rose cocktail—Cannon’s signature drink— holds a place of honor, and Audrey Saunders’ modern classic Old Cuban is on offer. I also tried, and approved of, the Bamboo Improved, a perfect version of the classic (meaning equal parts dry and sweet vermouth) made with nori-infused Sherry…