Cocktails becoming a big part of suburban restaurants' concepts

These are not your classic James Bond “shaken, not stirred” martinis.

We're talking martinis with chia seeds. Martinis with blackberries. Martinis with chocolate, both dark and white. And martinis with whipped cream. Lots and lots of whipped cream.

Suburban restaurateurs who want to attract customers know that mixing a great martini — or indeed any signature drink — is an important part of the equation.

In fact, Tony DeSalvo, vice president of Samco Enterprises, says developing a successful beverage menu has become just as important as developing the right food menu. He says the cocktails that are served are now an integral part of a restaurant's concept and help solidify the feel and identity of a place.

“If you want a restaurant to go from good to great, people expect both great food and great drinks,” said DeSalvo, whose establishments include Old Crow Smokehouse in Schaumburg and Chicago, Moe's Cantina in Chicago and John Barleycorn, also in Chicago. “That's because a guest's experience is very dependent on what they drink with a dish. Dining on beef brisket with a glass of wine is going to be a very different experience than with a signature drink.”

According to Restaurant Hospitality, an information source for restaurant owners, operators and chefs, keeping the bar menu creative helps “provide something fun and interesting for both staff and customers, while driving additional sales and introducing new products.”

To that end, De Salvo says, his mixologists solicit feedback from guests, servers and fellow bartenders. They read about the trends in trade publications and are always looking for new ideas.

Right now, the most popular drinks at his restaurants include the Front Porch Punch at Old Crow, Passion Fruit Sangria at Moe's Cantina and a Classic Cocktail series at John Barleycorn. The Classic Cocktails involve favorites like Manhattans, and the bartender explains the history of the drink while making it in front of the guest.

Suburban mixologists will be able to show off their creations at the Daily Herald's second annual Best Martini in the Suburbs contest, which is set for Dec. 15 this year at Old Crow.

Ted Dishev, manager of the Black Steer Charhouse in Elk Grove Village, still has bragging rights from winning the contest last year.

Not to rest on his laurels, he currently has 10 signature martinis on the menu, and is constantly developing new seasonal concoctions for his clientele. He says the pomegranate martini is always a favorite.

The flashy drinks that showed up at last year's competition proved that suburban mixologists know how to shake a drink.

There was every possible combination of ingredients, including one with all the makings of a Waldorf salad.