BAR REVIEW: Refuge
A quick(er) one today. It's been a few weeks since my most recent visit to Refuge, and my mental notes are starting to fade, but I know you are only relevant so long as you continue pumping out content, and I am nothing if not extremely relevant, so the show must go on. No amusing anecdotes or history lessons here, just good old-fashioned descriptions of what drinks taste like. What you paid good email inbox storage space to sign up for.
Refuge was opened in 2022 by Bobby Heugel, the godfather of modern Houston mixology, right behind his flagship Anvil. Downstairs by day is a coffeeshop (can't say I've had the pleasure), and upstairs is the cocktail bar. A small-ish fifty-seat space, this faintly-lit den exudes moodiness and serious hospitality chops. While the vibe is undeniably upscale, it doesn't feel stuffy and pretentious like some other recently opened joints that strive for a similar atmosphere *COUGHBarBuenaCOUGH*. The Montrose location is probably the reason, as the clientele are decidedly more chill than their River Oaks counterparts.
Speaking of atmosphere, they certainly know how to set the energy: a hip-hop heavy playlist included H-Town legends such as UGK and the Geto Boys. A large vintage neon sign that is apparently a replica of one at the famous Floridita Bar in Havana (I've not been) provides a steady glow to the otherwise dim setting. Service is cheerful and expedient with some delightful flourishes: interesting glassware, table lamps, and brass ice buckets to chill your water to the desired temperature.
A nice place to start from the Originals section of the menu is the "Japonisme", a deceptively simple mixture of Calvados (a French apple brandy), sweet vermouth, and aged sake, served up in a Nick and Nora glass placed on a heavy custom metal coaster with several star anises to further the aroma. Tasting notes on a menu are a blessing and a curse: good for quickly identifying delicious-sounding beverages while ordering, but bad since it's hard to come up with alternate descriptions for a review. Because this was quite... earthy and umami-forward, as helpfully/irritatingly denoted below the ingredients on the drinks list. I'm not sure exactly where these flavors came from (I guess the sake?), but it worked. Apparently this kind of thing is just what I order now (see: recent mushroom and truffle cocktails).
One recent trend that I've enjoyed is mini cocktails or elevated shots (in food form or otherwise), and that has been adopted here to great success. The "Hot Honey" is a tiny concoction of blanco tequila, chili de arbol, grapefruit, and the eponymous element that is also very hot in the streets these days (borderline overused when it comes to pizza). The balance was tremendous, with sweetness, heat, and a hint of bitterness from the citrus. A rim of chili flakes and sugar brought it all together, and the cute little gold platter it came on was a fun touch. The only bad part about this wee drink was that it was gone after a few sips (or just one if taken as intended)!
The Excessives section of the menu was slightly intimidating with its extra-fancy selections made with top-shelf liquors, but I couldn't leave without trying one to get the full picture. "Cock N' Bull Special 2.0" (perhaps named after my 4th-favorite Steve Coogan film?) requires nearly an entire paragraph devoted just to its ridiculously wordy building blocks: Anvil Bar & Refuge Private Selection Maker's Mark Cask Strength Bourbon, Delamain Pale & Dry XO Cognac, Grand Marnier Cuvee Louis Alexandre, benedictine, and angostura bitters. While the price tag approached London levels (or Bandista levels, if prefer to keep it local), this tasted luxurious and effortlessly smooth, boozy but refined and quite frankly spectacular. Subtle fruitiness permeated with barely detectable herbal notes, and I always love the requisite Amarena cherry garnish. It's certainly a splurge, but it might be the best cocktail I've had in the last couple months.
There are also a few beers, wines, and cheeses, and the Spirit Free department boasts a "Non-Alcoholic Old Fashioned", described cheekily only as "you, read, that, correctly". I'm intrigued, but obviously that wasn't happening. Maybe during Dry January.
Just one slight demerit: apparently they didn't realize that October is still summer in Houston, because it was absolutely boiling inside. I wasn't the only member of my party who became a bit damp. Also, the lack of proper signage led to the rather lackluster cover photo of the glass door seen above. But overall an exceptional evening and establishment.
RANKING UPDATE: Holding strong at #2 on my recently created/obnoxiously-titled Best Fancy/Sophisticated Cocktail Bars list in the Houston Drinking Guide, and #3 (along with Anvil to allow for more entries) on the overall Best Cocktail Bars list.
NEXT UP: A Southern food stalwart in the heart of the Museum District that's escaped me over the years.