Abigail Gullo Takes Over Compère Lapin's Bar Program

Eater NOLA's 2014 bartender of the year Abigail Gullo is having the best week ever. Gullo has just been announced as the head of Compère Lapin's impeccable bar program (where she's been tending bar since the restaurant's opening)—with booze director Ricky Gomez departing for other endeavors— and she has just appeared in this New York Times article on what to drink right now in New Orleans. So what to drink at Compère Lapin? According to writer Dan Saltzstein:

The charming and gregarious bartender Abigail Gullo... made me, upon request, a De La Louisiane, one of the city's lesser-known inventions—a rye-based drink punched up with Peychaud's bitters and absinthe.

Along with serving pretty much any classic cocktail you can imagine, Gullo's signature drinks at Compere Lapin already include a frozen wonder, the Fontanarosa, with kaffir lime vodka, lime, fennel and beet, and the sleek Gentleman's Caller, with gin, sherry, Aperol and Genepy.  There's a little something for everybody, and no doubt she'll add to her adventurous sippers in the coming weeks.

Compère Lapin isn't the only spot The New York Times recently visited. It also suggests seeking out the following classic and original cocktails at these fine establishments in New Orleans:

• Barrel Proof: The Felix Leiter, a "frothy, almost purple-hued drink" that lists 'whiskey, cinammon, lies' as the ingredients
• French 75: The Brooklyn, a "a classic rye-based cocktail that you rarely see, largely because it includes Amer Picon, a French digestif not available in the United States" though barman Chris Hannah makes his own amer variation.
• Bar Tonique: Corpse Reviver #2
• The Sazerac: Ramos Gin Fizz
• Cane & Table: The Silver Tongue, "which seamlessly combined bourbon, ginger, arrack and cream sherry."
• The Napoleon House: Pimm's Cup

Barrel Proof [Photo: Brasted]