Saturday, May 26, 2012

Opening: Quench

By:  Lauren Rittermann
 
Quench, the newest restaurant and cocktail bar to open in Rockville, MD is definitely a happening place.  With a wide range of cool and eclectic cocktails and delicious cuisine, this restaurant seems to have it all.   I stopped by the restaurant last week to check it out, and was blow away by the cocktails, the atmosphere, and the overall feel of the place.  This is a restaurant, bar, and lounge all in one.  It is trendy and modern yet extremely comfortable and laid back.  

After getting a tour of the place I sat down to try a few of their signature cocktails.  Quench uses a chef's approach to building their cocktails, and they really work hard on perfecting each one.  They use all fresh squeezed juices, and natural products for a delicious experience. Starting out with a Clover Club, a drink from the 20's, I was pleasantly surprised.  Despite it bright pink color this drink was a touch sweet and tart all at the same time.  Made with Gin, raspberry gomme syrup, lemon juice, and egg white,  I felt it was balanced perfectly and really enjoyed sipping it.  

The next drink was extremely different and called the Honey Badger.  Jalapeno tequila, lime juice, honey, ginger beer, and dash of beet juice, this drink was a little over the top for me.  But somehow kept my mouth watering and making me want more.  Definitely the most original cocktail I've ever tasted.


We also got a chance to try their Tequila Mockingbird which was a fresh take on a Margarita and the Dia de los Muertos, which was my favorite of the night.  Milagro Silver, Sailor Jerry, house-made floral infusion, agave, lemon juice, and pineapple juice.  This drink was refreshing and a wonderful blend of flavors.  It had a touch of sweetness on the finish which made it a great drink to end the night.

While tasting all these very innovative cocktails I also had the chance to sample some of the dishes that Quench will be serving up.  We sampled an arugula and watermelon salad with goat cheese and a cornbread crouton which was light and refreshing.  

Following that was a Foie Gras Panacatta with blackberry jam.  It was drizzled with oil and topped with fresh cracked black pepper.  Unbelievably smooth and creamy, this dish was down right sinful. 

Also on the menu was their panko-crusted catfish with buttered kale and a rhubarb relish, pastrami cured beef tongue sandwich with homemade slaw and pickled cucumbers, and their roasted chicken roulade.  

All the food was really tasty, but I really enjoyed the catfish and the pastrami sandwich.  The restaurant uses as many locally sourced and fresh ingredients as possible, and really takes creative cuisine to a whole new level.

Quench is a place to go to have a fun and exciting night out, but in a comfortable and relaxing environment.  They have a great concept, and I definitely wish there were more places like this around.  It's a casual place close to home, but you get incredible quality food and drinks.  If you live in the area or are just visiting, it's definitely worth checking out. 

Quench on Urbanspoon

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