Drinkie Review: Ski Lodge is the coolest new bar you’ve never heard of
Dani is seriously nerdy about her cocktails, and the folks at the Ski Lodge speakeasy in Las Vegas speak-y her language.
Here we are, dusting off the ol’ bloggy blog after a year hiatus. You’re probably asking yourself, “Couldn’t even get around to updating your blog? What did you have that was soooo important?” Well, you know, stuff and things. Dani helped make a Muppets Halloween special. Alex got to visit his parents after a year of pandemic sheltering. We both watched a lot of movies. But now that the world has begun reopening mid-pandemic, we have emerged from our cocoon and resumed some of our adventures. And the thing I’d missed most? Really good cocktails. We visited Las Vegas a few months ago with my best friend Emily and found some truly remarkable beverages.
This is a story about those cocktails.
I’m trying something new, kids. As an avid drinkie connoisseur, I want to start talking about places I love. I want to let you in on all my secrets and make recommendations about concoctions you have to try. And let me tell you: the Ski Lodge is a bar so good that it made me want to start blogging again. I want to scream from the rooftops about how fun and delicious and unique this little hideaway really is. Let’s dive in, shall we?
So, speakeasies are a thing in Vegas.
Thanks to a lot of YouTube “research” before our trip, I’d been clued in on the popular speakeasies in Vegas. But the day before our trip, a delightful vlogger named Travel Ruby mentioned that there was a winter-themed speakeasy inside Superfrico as part of her overall review. That was all I needed to hear. Despite weeks of internet searching for interesting things to do in Vegas, the Ski Lodge hadn’t hit our radar.
Now, the thing about speakeasies, of course, is you don’t want them to really hit anyone’s radar. You want them to be cool and low-key and sneaky discoveries that each person makes on their own.
Thankfully less than 20 people read this blog, so… keep it quiet, would ya?
This was the check-in stand on the afternoon we were there, housed in the Departure Lounge section of Superfrico. Check-in may vary based on the day and time. Either way, ask these lovely humans about Ski Lodge.
How to get there: The early birds get the booze
It’s certainly not considered hip to be the first people at a party, but one trick Alex and I rely on time and again is getting to popular bars and lounges right when they open so we can snag a table. For the Vegas speakeasies, this was a handy maneuver.
We were at the door at opening for both Ghost Donkey, a secret tequila/mezcal spot, and Superfrico, a psychedelic-Italian restaurant that’s full of themed areas. They’re both nestled in the super sexy Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino, smack dab in the middle of the Vegas strip. Being there at doors open means we were able to get seats and get drink orders in before the Vegas crowds started to make their way in. Ghost Donkey is walk-ins only, but Superfrico does offer reservations if you want to guarantee you get your mitts on these drinkies.
Once you arrive at Superfrico, prepare for a whole experience. The entire space comes alive with the abstract and the unexpected. You’ll enter a big room – which almost reminds me of a high-tech stretching portrait hall from Haunted Mansion – where you’ll pass through one of the unmarked doors into the main space. When you arrive at the check-in desk, just ask for The Ski Lodge and you’ll wind your way through the restaurant until you come to an unmarked door near some beverage coolers. Discerning eyes may spot a door with a small skier at the exterior of Superfrico, as well.
The Southside Snowplow (left), Old Oishii (middle), and Trinidad Sour (right). All incredible. Please drink these.
What to order: Not a bad drink on the menu
We met an incredible bartender named Jonathan who walked us through the drinks that are exclusive to the Ski Lodge space. You can still order the Superfrico menu or partake from a full bar inside the lodge, but there are some exceptionally cool drinkies you won’t want to miss. For my sweet imbibers who don’t want anything too heavy, the Salty Sled Dog and Southside Snowplow are perfection. Emily, my vodka queen, ordered the Salty Sled Dog (Helix vodka, punt e mes vermouth, aperol, grapefruit, strawberry, soda) was complex and fruity and the perfect escape from the desert heat outside. Alex, captain gin, ordered the Southside Snowplow (Beefeater gin, cocchi americano aromatized wine, lemon, kumquat, mint, cucumber) and the heaping nugget ice, spiral-cucumber and teeny kumquat alone made this a show-stopper. Both were excellent! Between ordering booze and snacks – I still have dreams about their polenta – we made conversation with Jonathan who recommended favorite drinks on and off the menu.
As someone who loves unusual and creative cocktails, The Ski Lodge tribute to Izakaya bar culture from Japan was wildly neat. Borrowing the Japanese concept of “stay-drink-place,” these cozy little spots beckon patrons to get comfortable and enjoy a beverage. Jonathan told us the Ski Lodge pays tribute to a similar izakaya ski lodge in Hokkaido, BarGyu+, where patrons enter through a snowy soda vending machine to find a cozy wood-paneled lounge. The Ski Lodge feels more like a funky 1980s winter cabin, décor-wise, but their extensive Japanese spirits on the Izakaya menu transport you to Hokkaido. Jonathan recommended that I start with Yakuza, joking that my obsession with Angostura bitters was a tell. The Yakuza (angostura, almond demerara, Suntory Toki whisky, Johnnie Walker Black scotch) was really fun and balanced. I’m early on my Scotch journey, so I was grateful it didn’t have the metallic Scotch note that can sometimes be a turn-off. Plus, almond-demerara simple syrup every day of the week, please! I got turned on to the magic of demerara sugar from “Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum and the Cult of Tiki” and haven’t looked back. For my second cocktail, I was recommended their very unique Old Oishii – a savory cocktail not for the faint of heart. Old Oishii (curry, yellow chartreuse, Pedro Ximenez sherry, Amontillado sherry, rye, tallowed Suntory Toki whisky) remains one of the most interesting things I’ve ever drank. If you didn’t pick up on “tallowed whisky” that means there’s beef tallow-infused booze in this thing. It lends smoothness and dimension that balances that curry out. I was worried it would taste like drinking iced broth. It did not. It was so interesting that I refuse to stop talking about it. It’s worth noting that Vodka Emily and Gin Alex have no love for whisky or savory drinks, so this drinkie is definitely not for everyone.
To round out my Ski Lodge experience, Jonathan surprised me with a real treat from off-menu. A Trinidad Sour, made with a whole shot of Angostura Bitters. He leveraged the full power of my Angostura infatuation and brought a sassy little coupe to the table. With just four ingredients, an Trinidad Sour (rye, orgeat, lemon juice, angostura bitters) is easy to make - if you can find a bartender willing to sacrifice their stash of bitters. This drink was the perfect finale to our afternoon at the Ski Lodge. We left buzzed, full, and ready to take on the chaos that is the Las Vegas strip.
Why it’s unique: Escape to the snow in the middle of a desert
Maybe I read “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” too many times as a kiddo, but I love the idea of being transported by a place. Some of my very favorite bars and restaurants do just that, and I can’t wait to tell you more about them in future blog posts. The Ski Lodge cemented itself in my memory because it so clearly nails the vibe it’s going for. One minute, you’re passing a gaggle of Bachelorette party-goers in line for a day club, and the next minute, you and your closest people are sharing a square gourmet pizza and clinking cocktails in a quiet winter chalet. The Ski Lodge has everything you’d want in an environment claiming a name like that: a crackling fireplace, flickering lanterns, snow falling outside the windows. I’ve even heard they recently started serving roast-your-own-s’mores … because of course they have! The Ski Lodge is an escape in every sense of the word. And while I’m confident that in the later hours of the day, that space turns into more of a loud, crowded bar-bar, the early afternoon vibe of folks trickling in and sharing hushed conversations was a straight-up respite.
Now, because this locale is still part of Superfrico, the Ski Lodge may have a few surprises in store when it comes to atmosphere. I don’t want to spoil the fun, but we may or may not have sighted a mythical creature in the lodge, moving too fast to be captured on film. Unexpected appearances like that are one of the many reasons that the world needs more themed environments, y’all. Because drinks and pizza are great. But drinks, pizza, and the supernatural? Even better.
The summary
Visit the Ski Lodge if…
You’re in Las Vegas
You want a speakeasy
You don’t mind spending $20+ for a cocktail
You crave adventure
You’re looking for unique cocktails
Must-Orders…
Southside Snowplow (gin-based)
Old Oishii (whisky-based)
Side of Polenta (Fresno chile jam, cream, Pecorino)