Herb & Wood welcomes Meghan Balser to their talented team of culinary experts at the buzzing Little Italy restaurant lead by celebrated chef Brian Malarkey. Meghan brings a feminine touch and stellar mastery to the cocktail program at Herb & Wood as Cocktail Curator. With a depth of whiskey knowledge, she will be ramping up the whiskey program at Herb & Wood while incorporating numerous local San Diego spirits and products into her collection of cocktails.
About Meghan Balser
Courtesy photo / Meghan Balser of Herb & Wood
She began her cocktail career at Pegu Club, Audrey Saunders' pioneering cocktail lounge in New York in 2007 and moved to San Diego in 2012. Meghan was instrumental in the opening of Seven Grand whiskey bar in North Park and helmed the bar for four years, creating standout cocktails and building a name for herself as a female bartender in a male centered industry. Meghan has worked at Cutwater Spirits, The U.S. Grant Hotel and was the secretary of the USBG (United States Bartenders’ Guild) San Diego Chapter.
Courtesy photo / Rye & Rye cocktail
The updated cocktail program will showcase herbs, clean flavors and food-enhancing libations, highlighting the brightness of the menu using equally fresh and seasonal ingredients to create an array of creative drinks. One of the newest cocktails include the Mezcal & Flowers crafted with Agave de Cortez Mezcal, Aloe Liqueur, Chartreuse, Lime, Agave and Mint. Additionally, Executive Pastry Chef Adrian Mendoza is creating garnishes for the drinks including pretzels with black pepper, flour de del, fennel seed and olive oil for the Rye & Rye (shown above) and an edible chocolate disk luster dusted with gold and ghost pepper sea salt for the Coco & Mezcal which is made with Silencio Mezcal, Chocolate Liqueur, Nostrum Grapefruit Chipotle Shrub, Cinnamon Syrup and Lemon.
Herb & Wood
Courtesy photo / Andy McRory / Herb & Wood
2210 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy. (619) 955.8495 or herbandwood.com
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