Henry S.
Yelp
Elixir had good intentions, but failed in execution...
Some interesting incidents the night I was there. A group came in, and was told by the host that wait time was about 15-20 minutes. One guy said, "wait for what?" I get that it's new, and people are not aware of Elixir's format. I just hope that in time, this doesn't turn people off more than draw people in. Second story. I overheard the group seated next to me at the bar, one guy asked the bartender if they have Stoli Raspberry. People, if all you want is a Stoli Raspberry, every other bar in Boystown can get you one. Don't waste precious seating space at Elixir.
Anyway... A high-end craft cocktail spot opens in Lakeview. Hurray! But sadly, Elixir did not deliver. The cocktail list has a section of 'classics', and another of their own specialties. The good people from Pastoral put together the wine list. Soon, there will be cheese and charcuterie from Pastoral too.
Any place serving The Aviation is worth a visit. That's what drew me here in the first place. It was ok, a bit too sweet. An Aviation should have a slight floral taste from the crème de violette, and maybe sweetness from the maraschino-soaked cherry at the bottom, if that is used as the garnish. With Elixir's, there was no cherry garnish, but the overall sweetness just overpowered the rest of the cocktail.
The Dirty Gin Martini. I should have known beforehand that this wouldn't be good. The briny olive liquid clashed spectacularly with the delicate botanicals of the North Shore gin. The menu says 'fresh olive juice'. What is fresh olive juice anyway? This is one where I have to borrow from Tom Colicchio's line on Top Chef: "Did you taste this?"
The Cucumber Smash was summery, sweet, with a floral touch. This is the most successful of everything I've tasted. But yet overall it was just ok. It had none of the transcendental experience I had sipping the smashes at Maude's.
Why 2 stars? Kudos to Elixir for bringing this concept to Lakeview. It remains to be seen if people will embrace it, or turn against it. Remember XO down the street a few years ago? Sadly for me, Elixir did not live up to expectation. It is a little Johnny-come-lately, delivering a middling experience compared to Violet Hour, Gilt Bar, Maude's and the cocktail programs at Henri, Sepia, and Province. What is the value proposition here then?