Fixin' Leaks and Leeks

Birds of a feather will drink together—from a delightfully eerie birdbath (bar) called the Krö Bar in Bothell, Washington.

Bothell is known for its murders of crows, the sky and fields thick like thieves with them. And if you can’t beat them, join them—at the bar. Nate, Alex, and I did, and we are still cooing and cawing about it.

The website says that reservations are highly recommended, so I grabbed the phone and caw-cawed ahead. (I also had to put in a credit card number to make it all official.)

In downtown Bothell, Alex showed us a shortcut through buildings that led onto the street, emptying out at a mysterious door, through which, was our destination.

Inside, the place goes hard with haunting decor: skeletons, lights that change in the faux windows at the top of the dining room walls, stuffed crows, from which lanterns hang over every table—and cobwebs, of course. Right above the host station, don’t expect to find a “live, laugh, love” decorative sign. Instead, that sign reads, “And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?” And just like that, I gave this place soooo many points for evoking, without angering, the spirit of the Talking Heads.

The drink menu holds a flight of tempting potions and morsels. There’s also a small mocktail section that looks intriguing. We ordered a charcuterie plate and some focaccia bread, which was absolutely delicious—but we ate before we could take a picture. (Any tiny, tiny crumbs left over were intended for hungry crow spirits, just in case.)

For my first drink, I ordered the “Curtain Call,” which includes a buttery skewer of popcorn and pairs well with the popcorn-washed James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon, an ingredient in this smoky and delightful drink. I could also taste the pineapple and lemon bitters—and just a hint of the biscotti liqueur. It was a complex and satisfying cocktail, and yes, that is a picture of it below. No, I was not drunk. (I hadn’t even tasted my drink yet.) I think a crow-ghost flew by or something.

My second drink was “The Silent Cry,” which comes topped with a rosemary spear. It was a beautiful, whisky-forward concoction with just a hint of rosemary and melon—and I could taste the sweet, citrusy yuzu/beet infusion. I silently cried when it was finished.

Alex had “The Smoking Chair,” which happened to be our server’s favorite. I agree that it’s quite good. (I had a sip.) It includes, among other things, mezcal, ruby port, and tobacco bitters. It’s also got a smoky flavor—and a brilliant red color, with just the right amount of sweetness.

Nate had two drinks, too, but I forget what they were. Here they are, below. Nate reports that they were both really, really good, and I believe him.

Someday, we’ll be back—maybe for dessert and dessert drinks. Until then, whenever I see a crow, I’ll raise my glass.

Cheers to the crows, you thirsty beasts!

Your Turn: What’s a new place you’ve recently visited in your area?