Summer Recommendations // Woodford Reserve Cocktails at Bar Ran + sharing food at Más
It’s summer, finally, and for those of you who haven’t really planned any big trips, I’ve got the perfect solution: a themed series of recommendations, all linked to delicious drinks and/or fantastic foods. In this first article, I’ll be talking about my visit to Bar Ran and Más, where I sipped masterful Woodford Reserve cocktails and tasted lovely Mexican street food (for sharing or all to yourself).
(text: Mickaël Van Nieuwenhove, photos: Mickaël Van Nieuwenhove under “Tales of Aperture”)
Back in May, I visited Bruges to attend a ‘tacover’ at Más, the Mexican (street) food inspired restaurant by Ran Van Ongevalle. The focus of the restaurant, which only takes walk-ins, is on sharing tacos and other dishes, accompanied by cocktails, (craft) beers, or wines.
This ‘tacover’ I mentioned is a special night at the restaurant, during which a well-known chef does a guest shift to create their version of the perfect taco. When I was there, chef Bruno Timperman (BRUUT) was the master of the kitchen. Let me tell you, I have never seen a restaurant get filled in that short of a time frame. I think it was, uhm, 3 minutes? Needless to say, the place was packed.
Actually, I wasn’t there on a whim. I was invited by Vincent Schietse, who works for Brown-Forman and who, for the occasion, devised a list of cocktails together with Ran. The focal point: Woodford Reserve. If you’ve been a follower of the blog, you know that brand has a special place in my heart. More on that here.
The evening did not start there, though. We first visited Bar Ran, the cocktail bar owned by Van Ongevalle, where we were able to enjoy four different cocktails with Woodford Reserve as one of the ingredients.
Bar Ran
Like Más, Bar Ran only accepts walk-ins, which leans right into the cozy, laid-back atmosphere of a cocktail bar the size of a living room. Yes, it’s small, but it’s packed with deliciousness, friendly staff, and an extensive menu. And fantastic customers!
Here’s a small overview of the cocktails that were designed specifically with Woodford Reserve in mind:
1) Blinker (on the rocks) (deliciously fruity)
Woodford Rye whiskey, Grapefruit juice, Pomegranate
2) Heartbreaker (inspired by Satan’s Whiskers) (fruity + sweet + sour notes)
Martini Rubino, Woodford Rye, Lemon, Cherry Soda
3) St. Lawrence (nutty + sour notes)
Woodford Bourbon, Maple Syrup, Lemon
4) Vieux Carré (herbal + oaked notes)
Woodford Rye whiskey, Remy Martin cognac, Martini Rubino, Benedictine, Bitters
Those cocktails were tasty gems, and, to me, they would fit well on a ‘summer menu’. My favorite was the Heartbreaker, but that’s because I love cherry soda.
We did end up at the bar again after the event at Más, and if I were you, I’d definitely swing by to try out a couple of their creations. With mixologists that are passionate about their creations and a generous list of cocktails to choose from (+ the ability to ask for personal favorites), this is the perfect way to end your day in Bruges, or start your night. Or both, it’s really up to you.
Más
When we entered the restaurant, I noticed that there was a bit of a hype / good vibe going on. The staff was getting pumped for the service and people were genuinely excited for what they were about to taste.
The restaurant itself is rather narrow but long, with the open kitchen at the far end, which obviously draws your attention. The interior? I’d say ‘hacienda’-style. Correct me if I’m wrong. But it’s nice and relax, simple but refined, and it the concept just works. I’m a sucker for these kind of eateries.
For the main event, the menu, our group was treated with fantastic dishes. There were four tacos to choose from (BBQ chicken, pork belly, green asparagus, langoustine) and selection of other dishes (sunny ceviche, drunken mussels, crispy molé chicken, sweet potato fries). I suggest you do some googling, these things are delicious!
Besides the food, there was also a curated list of wines and beers, but also three more cocktails, made with Woodford Reserve, but unnamed:
1) Woodford Bourbon, Eucalyptus, Lillet, frozen (a slushie for adults!)
2) Woodford Rye, Roasted coconut, Cold Brew Milky Oolong, draft (ooh, this one was fantastic)
3) Woodford Bourbon, Jalapeño, Pickle Juice, Ginger-ale (it really works, and tastes not that ‘BURN’ than you might expect)
And to top things off, there was a pickleback selection. Yes! Picklebacks! If you're not ‘in the know’, it’s basically a shot of bourbon or whisk(e)y, followed by a shot of pickle brine. And Ran had made four varieties! Oh, the joy!
1) Woodford Bourbon + Jalapeño brine
2) Woodford Bourbon + Red cabbage brine (my favorite, and out of this world!)
3) Woodford Rye + Lemongrass & Chilli pickle
4) Woodford Malt + Magnolia pickle
Conclusion
Well, that was a fantastic night. We sipped delicious Woodford Reserve cocktails (the brand is really versatile, and I highly suggest asking for them at your local watering hole) and enjoyed fantastic food.
I haven’t been back to Bar Ran or Más since, but that’s because of scheduling issues rather than a lack of trying. I suggest you turn your visit to Bruges into the ‘total experience package’. In doubt? Give me a shout and I’ll help out.
Many thanks to Vincent from Brown-Forman. It was a pleasure to attend.
Here’s some additional information for you to plan your visit:
Bar Ran: https://barranbrugge.com/
Más: https://www.masbrugge.com/
Woodford Reserve cocktails (in case you want to try out some of these in your home bar): https://www.woodfordreserve.com/lifestyle/cocktails/
Bonus photo (by Geert Conard / Double Strainger)
