Ever since Michael and Steven Fagien opened Jazziz, taking over and renovating space in what was once the International Museum of Cartoon Art in downtown Boca Raton, proponents of the complex and finger snapping musical genre of jazz have had a slick and modern place to watch national and international acts.
This winter, Jazziz will be showcasing the talent of executive chef Justin Flit, with a menu that will offer a wide selection of contemporary American fare including fresh seafood dishes, prime steaks, wood-oven pizza and homemade pasta.
In addition, mixologist Luke Tullos has created a slew of cocktails to compliment the food and the nightlife experience, putting emphasis on fresh and house-made ingredients in every drink he pours.
We headed over to Jazziz to talk with Luke and see what's new in the Boca Raton nightlife scene.
"The cocktails we are putting out this season have an emphasis on fall flavors, like smoke and maple," Tullos told us while working on a signature scotch-based libation called 'Straits and Channels'. He has a knife in hand, shaving off splinters of hickory wood into a small bowl. These splinters make their way into a handheld smoking machine, which, after he heats it up, burns the wood, and he directs the smoke into a container to infuse that signature hickory smoke flavor into the liquor. You don't see that every day.
"I wanted an element to bolster the smoke flavors already present in the scotch," said Tullos. "This helps that, and also adds an element of showmanship."
Straits and Channels is a mix of Glenlivet 12, Normandy apple shrub, and spiced pomegranate vermouth. The scotch is the first thing to dominate your taste buds, and then, after a slow second, all of the spice and fruit and sweet smoke flavors hit you. It's complex, explained Tullos.
"Complexity in flavors is something we aim for in all of our cocktails. We borrow from the culinary traditions of multiple flavors hitting you at different times, and the stance of making everything we can in-house. That gives such control to the product."
There's bound to be some cocktail to whet any whistle at Jazziz, including the newly showcased Bird in the Palm - Milagro Silver tequila with homemade grapefruit soda, fresh lime juice, fresh grapefruit juice and Aperol, or the classic Moscow Mule - Russian Standard vodka, ginger beer and fresh lime juice.
With a revised menu, featuring dishes such as seared foie gras with sweet potato custard topped with granny smith apple cubes and pumpkin seed brittle, and dry-aged rib eye, chanterelle mushrooms with a creamy spinach puree, Jazziz is hoping to bring in guests to enjoy a dinner and a show.
As Steven Fagien said to the crowd gathered, "We are not a jazz club - we do so much more than that."
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