Master Mixologist: Mercedes O’Brien

Is there anything better than sitting at a bar and having a delightful exchange with a bartender that leads to a fantastic cocktail? In most cases, we’d say no, but that was before we went to Gunshow in Atlanta and found ourselves holding court at a dining room table. There, one need not relay his or her cocktail wishes through a server. Instead, Gunshow’s delightful mixologist, Mercedes O’Brien, comes to you. Better yet, she comes to you behind a cocktail cart that she rolls from table to table. O’Brien is no ordinary bartender—she’s a “cocktail cart conductor.”

For those who love all things stirred and shaken, this is as close as you’ll get to Santa Claus on Christmas Day. Sure, we’re getting overly emotional, but consider the business ramifications. If you’re a customer and a cocktail cart rolls to your table, are you going to order a vodka and soda? Maybe, but probably not. And even if you’re a cocktail aficionado, there’s a good chance an exchange with the likes of Ms. O’Brien could lead to something delightful and out of the ordinary, like her signature Toasted Old Fashioned (bourbon, bitters, burnt sugar syrup, bruleed cinnamon sticks and flamed orange peel).

“In the traditional bar setting, guests oftentimes don’t want to take a leap and ask a question,” she says. “But talking about flavor profiles of the drinks at Gunshow creates a big bouncing off of ideas and conversations.” Could there be a cocktail cart in your future?

Contact Michael Sanson at [email protected]
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