Maven, which opened in December 2011, was one of the first in the wave of bar/restaurants that has effortlessly blended the two cultures.
In new chef Isaac Miller, Maven now has a culinary force that’s the equal of Kate Bolton’s always-great cocktail program.
If you wake up with a more severe hangover, then Maven is your spot for relief. The Death in the Afternoon ($11, sparkling wine, absinthe sorbet) calms your pain immediately, and the Maven Julius ($6, orange, milk, vanilla, malt) is like the mall treat, but better, especially if you upgrade for $3 more and add a shot of bourbon.
As Cocktail Week 2013 continues, we caught up with the latest badass bartender in our Ladies of Liquor series, Kate Bolton of Maven. A 2012 Chronicle Bar Star and Eater Bartender of the Year, Kate knows a thing or two about cocktails (if you look hard enough, you can spot her Eater Award, a magnificent can of tomatoes, behind Maven’s bar). We sat down to talk changes in the cocktail scene, the problem with vodka, and advice for newbies.
As a chef, Miller has learned that by keeping your senses open, you can be creative when serendipitous inspiration strikes.
What the pair is doing illustrates how the bar/dining concept has evolved in the past few years, becoming more defined and sophisticated.
The food produced by Maven is both innovative and refined, filled with bold flavors that have come to define much of the sophisticated of modern bar food.
Maven is decidedly casual yet chic, focused on quality over pomp. Lush and subtle co-exist on the menu.
(Top Five Burgers in San Francisco) Angostura bitters mixed with the meat may be a cheap trick, but but it’s a winner if you ask us.