Toast of the Town

by Daniel C. Avina
“Everybody should believe in something. I believe I’ll have another drink.”

However, this drink. is anything but another one. drink. is the premier custom beverage service for Bay Area events. San Francisco has been and always will be the harbinger for all that is cosmopolitan. Typically, the push to invent and infuse has fallen on the shoulders of the food industry, leaving beverages virtually untouched. With the advent of drink., all this has changed. Their nectarous libations have breathed life back into an art form long lost since the 1920’s. I was fortunate enough to get the beat on drink. straight from the founders Melissa Gugni and Jay Esopenko.

Dan: First, let me thank you two for doing away with anything mixed with Red Bull. Secondly, lets start at the beginning with the inception of drink.
Melissa: Our wedding was when it all began in 2004. We’ve been bartenders all over the world and we were very particular about what we wanted to serve at the bar at our wedding. Not one company could do what we wanted to do, so during the process Jay turned to me and said, “You know Melissa, we have a knack for this.” We had the feeling that people were moving toward this new trend of highly specialized and gourmet cocktails.

Dan: So how has the journey been so far?
Melissa: The first year naturally was the difficult one, but word got out and spread like a wildfire. 2007 is already becoming a promising one and we’re both thrilled about the direction drink. is going.
Jay: Since I was 16 I’ve been in the food and beverage industry. We are not 9 to 5 kind of people, and the creativity of bartending has always been the one thing we’re both passionate about.

Dan: So what defines drink.?
Melissa: What truly sets us apart is how we customize a menu to what you want. All our cocktails are handcrafted with artisan brands and seasonal farmer’s market produce. We prepare all our syrups and mixers fresh, typically from organic ingredients.

Dan: What would you say are your specialties?
Melissa: We’re all about customizing and crafting a menu for what the client really likes to drink. Be it a wedding or party, the drinks are tailored to the interests of the guests.
Jay: We go to the weekly Farmer’s Market at the ferry building to buy all our herbs and to see what’s fresh and what can be infused into our cocktails.
Melissa: Basil Gimlet tends to be popular right now. We’ve even made Apple Martinis, of course with fresh homemade apple syrup, no Pucker.
Dan: Yeah, that stuff is awfully disgusting.
Melissa: Yeah, we’re not huge Pucker fans either. It’s amazing how fresh homemade ingredients improve the taste of drinks our palettes usually take for granted.
Dan: And how about your personal favorite cocktails?
Melissa: I’m really into our Pomegranate Manhattan right now.

Jay: I like our Basil Gimlet and our homemade Margarita. When I’m at home I like to make older style drinks like the Aviation and the 20th Century Cocktail.
Dan: I see a lot of similarities between drink. and Maison Nouveau. We’re both boutique, and we’re proponents of delicious cocktails. But how did you come to find Maison Nouveau?
Jay: It’s actually kind of a funny story. It was the day after Christmas and I was browsing Yelp.com for a real estate agent. I found Maison Nouveau and felt that your ideals share similar traits with our own. Boutique size and the personal attention you give your clients. We were even more impressed that you were working the day after Christmas!
Melissa: You guys really had a wonderful image and that really attracted us to you as well.

Dan: Since opening drink. what has been the number one most memorable party/wedding that you two served?
Melissa: Well, naturally we pour responsibly.
Dan: Of course.
Melissa: But this one time we were pouring at a wedding, on a Sunday of all days. And the wedding party all had flown in from Boston. Needless to say, they really enjoyed our drinks as Jay and I were exhausted at the end. It was the most fun we’d ever had and we learned never to drink with Bostonians, they can hold their liquor. We almost ran out!
Dan: You guys are the experts. I’ll definitely take your word on that.

If you’re looking for that perfect touch and personal attention for an upcoming wedding, party or gathering give drink. a call at
415-702-5431 or visit them online at drinksf.com where the bar is always open.