Johnny Rivera and Chef Andy Beardslee have built a dedicated following with Hash House A Go Go, their Hillcrest comfort food emporium with Flintstones-sized portions. A little over two years ago, the duo opened The Tractor Room down the street, specializing in “honest cocktails and meats.” We were intrigued by the wild boar stew and venison meatloaf, but already had dinner plans, so we had to settle for starters and cocktails.

The décor was hyper masculine, kind of like a hunting lodge, with plenty of dark wood and a sprawling elk antler chandelier. Naturally shed in Montana, of course. No tractor room would be complete without a tractor, and there’s a fine specimen out front.

The Tractor Room might be San Diego’s leading practitioner of mixology. Rivera created almost all of the signature cocktails in the stunning “cocktail library.” Bartender Brett said that what separates mixology from bartending is “more pride and love.” It’s clear that he included plenty of both into his cocktails. Every day, The Tractor Room bartenders make fresh syrups, cut fresh fruit and stuff olives with blue cheese. They even craft orange and lemon peel “twists.”

We started with an original Brett creation: the Bloody Bullet ($9): fresh muddled blood orange with blood orange bitters, ginger beer for spice, Bulliet bourbon and a blood orange slice.

The drink in the middle: a sample of refreshing blood orange margarita.

On the right: Peach Antler ($9): Jacques Bonet brandy with peach bitters, Cointreau, fresh muddled peaches, sliced peaches and aromatic sage leaves.

Even with dinner plans, we couldn’t resist trying some food. Crispy elk sausage ravioli ($12) were basically gigantic fried wontons filled with house-made sausage, caramelized onions and goat cheese, topped with veal demi glace, diced tomatoes and chives. The gamy elk flavor got lost in the mix, and the ravioli really didn’t need frying.

We had better success with a side of Acorn Squash with Maple Bacon Butter ($6), half a roasted squash submerged in syrup and filled with plenty of melted butter, crisp bacon and chives.

The Tractor Room food was only pretty good this time, but life won’t be complete until I try venison meatloaf. The Tractor Room is getting ready to introduce a revamped cocktail menu with some new drinks that Rivera has been developing. Given how good these cocktails were, a new cocktail list might be reason enough to return to San Diego.

Related Posts

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2. Stone World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, CA – Saturday, November 1, 2008
3. The Nickel Diner – Los Angeles, CA – Saturday, November 22, 2008
4. House House A Go Go – San Diego, CA – February 19, 2005
5. Ritual Tavern – San Diego, CA – November 2, 2008

This entry is filed under American, Bar/Brewery, California, Drink Reviews, San Diego, Southern California.