by Brad Rhines

At Bellocq’s grand opening last night, patrons partied like it was 1899.  Bellocq, which is the newest venture from the crew at Cure, specializes in 19th century cocktails and officially opened late last month on Lee Circle, alongside the newly renovated Hotel Modern. 

The cobbler-focused bar already hosted a few special events—touring musicians and out-of-town guest bartenders—but last night’s housewarming party was an invitation for friends and family to drop in, have a drink, and get a taste of what’s in store for this specialty cocktail bar that hopes to hit it off with locals and tourists alike.

The space has continued to evolve over the last few weeks, and last night customers bellied up to a sleek new zinc bar top that was just installed Monday night.  Also new is a large black-and-white painting of a reclining nude that takes up a far corner of the ceiling above the bar’s grand piano.  The painting references the bar’s namesake, photographer E.J. Bellocq, famous for his turn-of-the-century photographs of Storyville prostitutes.

The bar’s menu has also been updated since our last visit.  Instead of a one-page menu consisting almost entirely of cobblers—a precursor to the modern cocktail that features fortified wines like port or sherry and lots of crushed iced, which was a luxury in days before household refrigeration—the new menu is a bound booklet with a blue cover, a nod to the old “blue books” that served as a guide to New Orleans’ red light district. 

Cobblers are still featured prominently on the menu, but a short list of 19th century cocktails also get top billing, like the Rye Smash, which features rye whiskey, lemon juice, and sprigs of fresh mint.  The menu includes two punch options, and Bellocq’s pewter octopus-shaped punch bowl is an impressive vessel.  Like Cure, the happy hour menu lists several $5 cocktails, including the classic New Orleans sazerac.

Last night’s crowd included a number of folks from the city’s service industry.  NoDef chatted with Cochon chef and James Beard Award-winner Stephen Stryjewski who was back in town and enjoying a drink after spending the last couple of months helping open Cochon’s Lafayette outpost.  Donald Link and Susan Spicer were also reportedly in attendance, and we overhead someone point out “the best bug man in New Orleans,” which is high praise in this town.

While a few celebrity sightings doesn’t necessarily ensure success for this new spot, the lively crowd seemed to be a good indication that Bellocq has potential to join other classic New Orleans bars—like the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt, or the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone—that offer far more than the typical hotel lounge.