Like our New York post, this is another preposterously late review. Where does the time go?

Sometime this fall, we popped up to Andersonville to catch dinner and drinks with another couple at In Fine Spirits. These guys do AMAZING things with cocktails, but we found the food menu to be a little behind by comparison.

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On the drinks side, our group found winners in the Blood and Sand, — a classic made here with Isle of Skye Scotch, Cherry Heering and fresh squeezed orange juice, — the Tombigbee, — a highball featuring Koval rye, blueberry and an acidic ginger shrub, — and the I’m Feeling Sinister — a lowball of candied mango-infused mezcal with lime. The cocktail program here is one of the best in the city and succeeds by blending well-crafted classics with inventive originals. They bring in interesting and rare spirits — they are the first we’ve seen in Chicago, for example, to stock the exceptional Snap and Root from Art In The Age of Mechanical Reproduction in Philadelphia — and even make their own syrups, infusions and liqueurs.

While we were downing these yummy tipples, we turned to the food menu. We had come for dinner, so we focused on the few larger dishes available which didn’t leave a whole lot to choose from. The pasta and polenta that the ladies picked were bland and unimpressive, but the stuffed medjool dates with blue cheese, coppa and balsamic were actually quite satisfying. Both the guys opted for the heartier cowboy sandwich. Featuring a pulled pork and Gouda number with a side of baked pinto beans and a baked egg, this dish also had a sidecar of Buffalo Trace 8 year bourbon from a handpicked In Fine Spirits barrel. We loved the idea, but in practice it was nothing all that special.

When asking around about what makes In Fine Spirits great, we hear about the charcuterie, cheese and flatbreads; maybe we just missed the real treats on the menu. We think it’s clear though that In Fine Spirits shines better as a cocktail joint than a dinner spot, so go here for the drinks. And make it a double!