Few recent Plaza openings have made as big a splash as Gram & Dun. Maybe it’s because local restauranteur Alan Gaylin’s already built a following with BRGR Kitchen + Bar and Urban Table in Prairie Village. Maybe this spring weather has folks salivating over the pretty patio. Or maybe I’m just excited because Gram & Dun hit two of my sweet spots during a recent visit: shrubs and mezcal.
Shrubs—usually made with fruit, vinegar and sugar—make for nicely savory cocktails and delicious non-alcoholic sodas. They’re appearing on more cocktail menus around town, so I wasn’t surprised to see strawberry-habañero and pineapple-rosemary versions at Gram & Dun.
But I’d also just wrapped up an article for the Kansas City Star about mezcal (Mezcal Makes a Splash), so I was a little thirsty for that. Then I spotted the Mezcal Mule, which combines Del Maguey’s Crema de Mezcal, the strawberry-habañero shrub, lime juice and Gosling’s ginger beer into a drink that perfectly balances mezcal’s smoke and earth with a fruity sweetness and peppery kick. Continue Reading