Fashion | Food & Drink | Food Business
Ordinary Manager Ben Zemke and Owner Tim Cabral under the glow of vintage Christmas lights that are part of the Atomic Era vibes. Mindi Rose Englart photos.
Tim Cabral is an open book about his many entrepreneurial endeavors. He’s created award-winning work at some of New Haven’s most popular restaurants and bars like Caseus and High George at The Blake Hotel. Just four months ago, Cabral opened his latest restaurant, Gioia, in Wooster Square.
But it’s Ordinary, his 11-year-old cocktail bar and restaurant, that’s making a scene on Chapel Street by turning Cabral’s book to a particular page of history–the Atomic Era of the 1940 and 1950s.
Ordinary periodically revamps its décor and its menu, Cabral said, based on a theme; past themes include an homage to Twin Peaks and a tribute to the films of Wes Anderson.
Cabral works hard, but he doesn’t work alone. His team includes manager Ben Zemke, who’s been at Ordinary since its inception and Sam Shevelkin, who has tended the bar for six years. Cabral said he likes to showcase the work of his friends.
“New Haven has so many fun people; why not?” Cabral said.
Todd Lyon at Fashionista Vintage & Variety.
Todd Lyon happens to be one of those fun people who is also an old friend and regular collaborator. Lyons is the co-owner of Fashionista Vintage & Variety and helped create a visual atmosphere for the Atomic Cocktail Series and designed the bar's Chapel Street window-scape.
“I’ve known Todd a long time,” Cabral said. “When I worked at Caseus (which used to be around the block from Fashionista), they would have ‘wine emergencies’ and I’d run some wine over to them.”
Inside display designed by Lyon, who also designed the bar's Chapel Street window. Photo of both displays are courtesy of Todd Lyon.
“They’re the coolest gang of boy eccentrics,” Lyon said of Cabral and his management team at Ordinary. “It’s wonderful for me to have so much fun with my fellow New Haveners. I’ll just be walking around and get a text from Tim. Whatever it is, I’m like, yes, I’m in!”
For the Atomic Cocktail Series mid-century modern-themed installation, Lyon solicited items from longtime friends like artist Mr. Lucky, fashion historian Becky Conekin, and local artist, Hayward Gatling’s, whose aunt’s picture is part of the display.
“I like DIY styling, zero budget. Second-hand, repurposed, dumpster-dived, thrift shop items. Anything but new,” she said.
Sam Shevelkin at work.
Bartender Shevelkin said each atomic cocktail is a reimagined drink from a bygone era.
As Shevelkin mixed, strained, poured, and garnished, he said a lot of cocktail bars in New Haven are creative, but what sets Ordinary apart is its particular focus on the guest experience.
“We take the time to have a conversation with each guest,” Shevelkin said. “Every day is new and different; every guest is interesting in their own way.”
Chef Skylar Melton mixing his signature drink.
Shevelkin prepared a modern version of the classic spiced cordial from the 1940s and 1950s, the Diki Diki, crafted by Ordinary’s chef, Skylar Melton.
Originally from North Carolina, Melton worked for 19 years in various kitchens from vegan to fine dining, but this was his first time formulating a cocktail. The Diki Diki was originally inspired by the Indian spice trade, and includes clove and anise. It’s base is a Swedish punch, which is traditionally made with different types of rum brewed with tea and citrus and then it’s all steeped down. Instead of rum, Melton went with Cachaça, a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice.
“This drink fills your palate,” Melton said. “It’s herbal, the aspect of the lemon in combination with the spices. It’s a booze-forward cocktail. That’s always a good sign.”
Culinary gold sparkles in the Gilded Caddy.
The most beautiful cocktail of the night was the Gilded Caddy. Created by Zemke, the drink is a remix of a popular 1950s cocktail, the Golden Cadillac, containing Galliano, créme de cacao, turmeric, gomme powder (a culinary thickening agent), ginger, cinnamon and to top it off, instead of a dash of salt, Shevelkin sprayed a fine saline mist over the top before presenting it.
The best part? Gold dust swirled through the drink. Yes, actual gold dust, or culinary gold as it is called in the business.
Zemke blew my mind, pun intended, when he explained more about the atomic era.
“It’s a drink you’d have had in Las Vegas while looking out your hotel window watching bombs go off,” Zemke said. “They would light up the desert. It was a thing–atomic tourism. There’s still craters in the desert.”
Mi Amigo Alexander.
Bartender Andy Fuentes created the Mi Amigo, a play on a Brandy Alexander, which calls for brandy, créme de cacao and heavy cream. Fuentes reimagined the drink with notes of smoke and spice.
Fuentes, who is the longest serving Ordinary bartender, decided that instead of the traditional brandy and heavy cream, he’d use Mezcal and a white chocolate heavy cream mixture, as well as mole bitters.
Cabral’s contribution to the atomic mix is the Dust Cloud Negroni. Strong and floral, a negroni traditionally gets an orange peel, but Ordinary is so extra (in the best way possible) they use a citrus cloud made of cardamom, orange juice, and egg white foam, which sits atop a mix of vermouth, blanco aperitivo, and pisco. But not just any pisco. No. They use pisco “washed” in rice that has been slightly toasted in a pan and then steeped in the rice. These extra steps give the pisco a nutty, cereal taste and the starch mixes in and gives a slightly thick gelatinous texture.
Sam Shevelkin serves a Diki Diki.
Those who don’t drink alcohol are welcome at Ordinary. While you can always order a custom cocktail, minus the spirits, Ordinary prides itself on its specialty mocktails like the Stalagmite, which has citrus shrub, mint and cardamom syrups, or the Orbit Beauty, made with grapefruit, lime, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and orange blossom.
“Our mocktails are not just for ‘Dry January’,” Cabral said. “They have their own presences. They’re their own drinks, not just without alcohol.”
Watching Shevelkin mix and discuss all these concoctions got me thinking: does he feel like a scientist?
“I like to explore,” he said. “I like to experiment.”
“He was definitely involved in Sputnik,” Melton chimed in.
“Don’t write that,” Shevelkin said. “I’d like to keep my job.”