Welcome to On the Menu, where we explore what makes a bar\u2019s menu unique, intriguing, and all-around delicious.<\/em><\/p>\n Ignacio \u201cNacho\u201d Jimenez has nothing against classic Margaritas<\/a>. But he\u2019s noticed that people rarely order them at Superbueno<\/a>, his award-winning Mexican American cocktail bar in New York City\u2019s East Village<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn many Mexican bars and restaurants<\/a>, your Margarita is going to be one of your three most popular drinks,\u201d he says. At Superbueno, it barely cracks the top 10. \u201cThat shows you the kind of openness that people come in with. They are willing to try something new.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a testament to the appeal of the rest of the menu, too. The inventive list at Superbueno incorporates influences from the classic cocktail renaissance of New York in the 2000s, as well as flavors and traditions from Jimenez\u2019s native Mexico. There\u2019s a Negroni riff<\/a> with mole-fat-washed mezcal, a silky Roasted Corn Sour, and a Green Mango Martini finished with chili oil, among others.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite the drinks\u2019 sophistication, the bar is distinctly, unapologetically fun. That open-hearted energy has made it a favorite of far-flung cocktail pilgrims as well as locals looking to kick back with birria grilled cheeses and mezcal<\/a> slushies.<\/p>\n Since opening in 2023, Superbueno has been named to Imbibe<\/em>\u2019s 2024 Imbibe 75, won a James Beard Award, and topped multiple world\u2019s best lists. \u201cIt\u2019s been an amazing experience, and really humbling,\u201d says head bartender Kip Moffitt.\u00a0<\/p>\n We caught up with Jimenez and Moffitt to learn how they develop their menu, when it\u2019s time to pivot to give overlooked drinks their due, and more.<\/p>\n Jimenez: When you start designing the menu of your bar, you start with a concept. Both of our training and backgrounds were heavily influenced by the renaissance of classic cocktails<\/a>. We were both bartenders who came up around then, in 2006 or 2007. We are very much influenced by that time period.\u00a0<\/p>\n We wanted to have that canvas and a plethora of cocktail classics that also have some sort of flavors of Mexico. We wanted to pay homage to ingredients and dishes, and the ceremony surrounding certain drinks. You never know how it\u2019s going to translate. Some things you do just by instinct, without having the certainty of how these drinks will take off.<\/p>\n Moffitt: We have a staff that is encouraged to be themselves more than anywhere I\u2019ve ever worked in my life. It\u2019s an amazing energy. A lot of these people came here when they were little, or they don\u2019t have a lot of opportunities to go home, and they have memories of things that they want to see on the menu as well. It\u2019s really fun to ask these questions about what they would like to see, and we\u2019re able to recreate things from their memories as well.<\/p>\nImbibe: How would you describe your overall approach to the menu?<\/h5>\n
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