Enjoyed: Sunday, December 31, 2023

Listed on the menu: No, no drink menu here, but undoubtedly the bartenders can create any classic cocktail to accompany the classic dishes on the menu.

Ingredients: Well bourbon, simple syrup, bitters, muddled cherry, muddled orange slice. And lots of ice. Had it not been a super-busy evening, I would have asked our waiter for more specifics about the ingredients.

The occasion: This was New Year’s Eve! We suggested a “classic Charlottesville” evening out to our dear friends, and we discovered that most of us hadn’t been to the Aberdeen Barn (self-proclaimed as a “big-time steakhouse”) in many years. One of our group remembers eating here when he came for his job interview at UVA. My husband remembers taking me out to a celebratory dinner here when we learned that baby number one was on the way. It was high time to re-visit this local institution (family owned and operated since 1965!), and we all had a lovely meal to ring out the old year.

My rating: *** out of 5. Although the glass was overloaded with ice, I could tell that the bartender was not skimpy with the bourbon. The drink was also less sweet than I expected. This was a “man’s drink” for certain, one that would have met with approval from my parents’ generation. No frou-frou drinks for wimps here, no sir! If that steak won’t put hair on your chest, this cocktail will–especially if you drink most of it before the ice starts to melt. (I did.)

Final thoughts: Even though every table was occupied when we arrived for the last seating of the evening, the quality of the food and of the service was great. And our dinner companions made the evening even more memorable. Happy New Year to all!