A Peek at Dominic Alling's Secret Bird Menu at Beretta [photos]

I imagine that it is within every reasonable person's fantasy to sidle up to a long wooden bar, lean over to the bartender, and whisper hoarsely, "I'll have the secret bird menu." Because honestly: 1) Secrets! 2) Birds. 3) Cocktails. I don't see much not to love here.

Well, it's your lucky day because this can be you, too. Bar manager Dominic Alling offers this illustrated Field Guide to the Birds menu at the much-loved San Francisco restaurant and bar Beretta (which I wrote about a little while ago for Eater).  This selection of 11 drinks is not advertised, but if you ask for it in a low, sly voice (OK, maybe not that part), the bartenders are happy to share it with you.

Just what are you getting yourself into? We took a few pictures to tide you over until you can visit yourself:

[Spoiler alert: Dominic does in fact serve something called a Fernet Branca Jelly. You're welcome, San Francisco. See the last photo.]



Dominic's menu celebrates every detail including this leather-bound menu. Each drink features elegant, intricate bird drawings, illustrated by former Beretta host Melissa Getman.



Dominic (shown below) thought the additional menu was a nice way to introduce some new cocktails without removing some of the popular drinks already on the menu, which have over time become hallmarks for Beretta.



Sage Sparrow. Mint-flavored mezcal, lemon, creme de menthe, velvet falernum, egg white.



Kiskade. Tequilla, lemon, vanilla almond milk, cinnamon, and toasted fennel.

California Thrasher. Rum, bacanora, olorosso sherry, chocolate barley, bitters.







Strange Weaver. Gin, rum, lemon, Campari, Cocchi di Torino, orgeat foam.





Siamese Fireback. Rum, lime, ginger, banana, prosecco.



Bohemian Waxwing. Gin, lemon, Campari, aloe, egg white, rose.



Magnificent Hummingbird. Pisco, popcorn, lemon, candied sour apple syrup.



And, yes, the perfect SF menu item:

Fernet Branca Jelly. Made into a silky solid and served in ginger syrup with orange zest. SF, you are ready for this jelly. (Hashtag obligatory Beyonce reference.)




\




Beretta
1199 Valencia St.

San Francisco, CA
(415) 695-1199
berettasf.com

Pst! Check Out the Coachman's Secret Menu (Told Through Instagram and Phone Pictures)

After much debating back and forth about keeping it to ourselves, we're going to let San Francisco into one of our favorite little secrets: the secret menu at the Coachman in San Francisco's gritty part of SOMA. 

As if you needed another reason to check out their extremely creative program, someone allowed bar manager Johnny Codd near liquid nitrogen, fire, fireball, and a smoke machine, and this menu was the fantastic result. 

If you are at the bar and you ask for it, you'll be allowed to choose from a short list of these sippable wonders. They run for $14-$16 and are perfect to impress a date or just to add a bit of fun to your evening. 

Fit for the genre of secret cocktails, we are going to depart from our usual photography treatment. What better way to share them than in low-lit phone and instagram photos? Because the real thing is always going to be so much better than the pictures anyway. (Trust us.)

The menu sometimes rotates a little, but check this out:

Something Ridiculous

The bartender sets a goblet on fire with high proof alcohol and toasts a marshmallow in front of you. Then you can enjoy bites of gooey toasted marshmallow paired with rich, chocolatey porter, and a cocktail of rum, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, cream, and toffee syrup.

Something in an Ice Sphere
What's better than your favorite cocktail? Uh, your favorite cocktail in a freaking ice sphere.




Something Tiki
We have so many favorite tiki drinks, we just can't choose our favorite! And why should we have to with this awesome (and did we mention adorable?) tiki trio, which includes a Mai Tai, Pain Killer, and Pina Colada. Don't forget to wear sunscreen.

Loading

View on Instagram

Something Smoked
Choose from Buffalo Trace, House made fireball, or Hunting Flask (one of the house cocktails made with infused Redbreast whiskey). Then decide on mesquite, apple, hickory, or cherry wood chips. Add smoke.

Loading

View on Instagram

Something Special
Is this what you think you see? If you're wondering that, the answer is probably yes.

Loading

View on Instagram

Something with Cheeky's
At one time, something cheeky was made of this delicious adult icee—and by that we mean a blended negroni, a super cold, thirst quenching, and somehow creamy cocktail of campari, sweet vermouth, and gin whipped up in a Vitamix with ice (Johnny likes to add a little squeeze of lime over the top, as well as some egg white to the mix). The garnish was a negroni jello in a real orange peel.



These days, they've added a bit more to the order. Instead of the blended negroni (still available upon request, and we recommend you do on a hot day), you get a cheeky trio: a deconstructed sazerac in an absinthe ice glass (you're not hallucinating), a cheeky of housemade fireball, and the jelly negroni.

Loading

View on Instagram

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone.

The Coachman
1148 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 813-1701