You might think of Biltong Bar, a South African gastropub with locations in Ponce City Market and the Shops Buckhead Atlanta, as a beef jerky place. It does, in fact, bill itself as a purveyor of "beef jerky and booze," but the second half of that slogan should not be overlooked. Biltong Bar has become a serious drinking establishment for cocktail aficionados and late-night revelers. Its expertise is on display in one of the coziest holiday drinks you'll find: Chartreuse hot chocolate, available at both locations.
A rich and fortifying winter cocktail, Chartreuse hot chocolate’s one drawback is it doesn’t have a colorful name like Angels With Filthy Souls, a reference to “Home Alone,” or Nakatomi Plaza, which makes it clear that Biltong Bar falls into the “‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie” camp. Still, the Chartreuse hot chocolate provides maximum coziness.
It starts with a base of rich, creamy drinking chocolate that bears little resemblance to the chalky store-bought stuff. There’s a bracing whiff of the herbaceous liqueur Chartreuse, but the lingering flavor is almond, reminiscent of fine European chocolate. Fresh white chocolate whipped cream gives it even more richness and depth, while a sprinkling of flaky sea salt adds pop and sparkle to the silky flavors.
Though this warm cocktail has sophistication you’ll appreciate as an adult, it still strikes that chord of nostalgia for a beloved childhood treat.
Biltong Bar. 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta; and 306 Buckhead Ave., Atlanta. 678-515-0620, biltong-bar.com.
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