Bowen House | SusieDrinks

I went through a vintage phase in college. So where did I shop? My first stop on a shopping trip was always Ahab Bowen, a little vintage shop tucked inside a historical house smack dab in the middle of Uptown with a smattering of clothes with that have already lived a full life, but still had more to give. While I was sad when I heard the news that it closed years later, I was also excited about the potential of the establishment taking over the quaint, little house–a serious craft cocktail bar, Bowen House.

The space was completely reinvented with a bar spanning the facade and a handful of intimate white marble tables. The chandelier above the bar gives the space a decidedly haute feeling, but the atmosphere is anything but stuffy. Oh … and this is a perfect date spot. (They even joke that they host Tinder Tuesdays because so many blind dates show up.)

Thanks to owner, Pasha Heidari, Bowen House put together a killer lineup of some of the best in Dallas’s food and drink talent. The food menu was created by Chef Graham Dodds and he has a team of incredible mixmasters behind the bar. Some of said talent (ahem, the badass Reid Lewis … she’s a lady) was just recognized as one of the seven best mixologists in the city by “Modern Luxury Dallas”.

As drinks go, previously you were meant to simply chat with the bartender and he (slash she) would whip up a perfect cocktail crafted to your specifications. As of late, they’ve rolled out menus to make things a bit easier on those of us who have a paralyzing fear of making decisions when put on the spot. That’s right … leisurely peruse the menu … or you can still chat with the bartenders if you’re into that. (Which I am. Like, really into.) The menu offers classics, and then classics with a twist … each drink has also been reimagined by one of the bartenders.

: Champagne Cocktail

: Highball

Another new addition to their offerings to keep up cool on these 100º days–popsicle cocktails. The popsicle menu totes four options that’ll sweeten you up and cool you down while packing a punch.

: Midori Madness

: Peruvian Party

The food here is also surprisingly good. The Fried Brie is a ta-reat with seasonal compote accompanying the melty, cheesy, crunchy goodness. Oh, and the chicken salad–dubbed Mom’s Chicken Salad because it’s actually his grandma’s recipe–was somewhat addicting. (And unfortunately it’s frowned upon to ask for seconds at a media tasting … whatever.) Also, (I’ve been told) the potato chips are even pretty epic. They have bleu cheese which is a no-no for this girl.