Following a whirlwind of executive chefs and a trip to renovation land for the summer, the Royal Palms Resort & Spa has announced a new bar concept to accompany the re-opening of its new and improved T. Cook's Lounge on Monday, September 9.
Called The Mix Up Bar, the upscale pub will take over the old T. Cook's space and feature an "inventive, yet approachable" bar program headed up by Kim Haasarud, a James Beard-honored mixologist, founder of the beverage consulting company Liquid Architecture, and author who will be at Tempe's Changing Hands Bookstore on August 22 to promote her newest book, 101 Tropical Cocktails.
Here's what cocktail fans can expect.
See also: - Drinks with Mixologist Kim Haasarud, Author of 101 Tropical Drinks, August 22 at Changing Hands - Co-Founder of Arizona Cocktail Week to Open New Bar at Downtown's Luhrs Building This Fall
Like her food-focused counterpart, T. Cook's two-months-new executive chef Paul McCabe (formerly of the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, California, and the L'Auberge Del Mar resort in Southern California), Haasarud will stay close to home when it comes to ingredients.
"I like to source as local as possible," says Haasarud. "The cocktails are created with products from the surrounding areas, including AZ Bitters Lab's flavored bitters, La Bella Terre's botanical sprays, and vinegars from Outrageous Olive Oil & Vinegars, to name a few. We will also heavily incorporate fresh produce and herbs grown in the new T. Cook's garden."
And when it comes to the bar fare, McCabe will offer rotating menus that, unlike T. Cook's, will not be limited to flavors of the Mediterranean (think housemade wild game cured meats and classic charcuterie).
"The Mix Up will be an extension of the kitchen where our focus is to design dishes that enhance the cocktails, and visa versa," says McCabe. "The bar will also to showcase our New American concept while allowing us to mix up the flavor profiles a bit more."
Designed by Haley Balzano of Bar Napkin Productions (who also is heading up the T. Cook's remodel), the updated interior of The Mix Up will feature dark woods, clean lines, and accents of gold and yellow.
The Mix Up Bar 5200 East Camelback Road 602-977-6458 Website
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight daily
