Dylan Simon
No one is going to argue with bartender Dylan Simon when he describes the food at Rubicon as “wonderful and thoughtful.”
In fact, when sampling any of master chef Qui Qui Musarra’s delightful dishes, one might even say those words are an understatement.
But this article (to some readers’ disappointment) isn’t about Rubicon’s food. Rather, the focus is on giving the famed downtown Harrisburg restaurant’s cocktails equal time.
To put things in simplest terms, thoughtful food deserves thoughtful cocktails, and Simon, one of two full-time mixologists at Rubicon, lives up to any presupposed hype.
“Cocktail creating is a lot like cooking,” he said. “Small changes can be made to profoundly change the outcome. And like cooking, there are generally no wrong answers. We’re kind of challenged by Chef (Musarra) multiple times to pair something.”
Simon paused for a moment to point out how the drink I was sampling, the Seoul-Stice, pairs well with the buck-a-shuck oysters available during happy hour at the bar.
“Plus, there’s just something fun about it, especially here,” he said. “You kind of get to play like you’re on stage.”
Simon, a Central Dauphin graduate, started bartending at Rubicon back in 2014, and then, after a hiatus, returned to the upscale North Street eatery 1½ years ago. He clearly has fun behind the bar, evident in his innate talent for friendly banter and even more so in the presentation and taste of his drinks.
On our visit, he masterfully demonstrated his skills while mixing up two “wonderful and thoughtful” concoctions.
First, the aforementioned Seoul-Stice, very accurately described by Simon as having “just enough spice to let you know about it,” is a refreshing mix of Gochujang white balsamic vinegar (from Seasons in Lancaster), a Plymouth gin infused with cucumber, Copper Bonnet sugar kelp gin (which, he adds, “has a wonderful salinity”), all topped with a visually appealing chiffonade of lime.
This was followed by the Squadron 99, a Prosecco float borrowing the best elements from a whiskey sour and a Seelbach, comprised of Uncle Nearest 1884 Whiskey (a Rubicon bar favorite ingredient), Aperol, plum bitters, pomegranate molasses and lemon.
All of which brings us full circle, back to Rubicon’s very thoughtful food. When pressed to single out just one or two dishes that are must-tries for any newcomers, Simon put things succinctly, with his customary good nature:
“This is one of those menus that you could throw a dart at, and wherever it lands, you’re gonna be happy,” he said.
Rubicon is located at 270 North St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.rubiconhbg.com. Photos by Will Masters.
Dylan’s Choices
Words of advice to home mixologists
My best word of advice for anyone with a home bar is to get comfortable making classic cocktails and not be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. You would be surprised how many craft cocktails start from being a derivative of the classics.
Favorite spirit straight
I’m going to talk about my love for whisky. Scotch whisky is so distinct from region to region and distillery to distillery that a single person might detest an Islay for its peatiness but love a Speyside for its spicy fruit.
Recommendations for two or three spirits to try
I have always loved Dalwhinnie 15. It is the highest distillery in elevation and its smooth flavors of honey, vanilla and citrus are appealing to a lot of palates. Penelope Toasted is my latest favorite bourbon.
Most commonly ordered drinks at your bar
We have a few staples here at Rubicon. The Di’s Addiction is a grapefruit and citrus martini while the Firefly is a margarita/martini hybrid featuring habanero and lemon infused tequila with Midori and mango. If you sit around my bar, you’ll hear Di’s and Flys goin’ across the bar all night.
DRINK FOR JUNE
Corpse Reviver #2
The perfect adult lemonade
- 1ounce lemon juice
- 1ounce Old Tom Gin
- 1ounce Lillet Blanc
- 1ounce Cointreau
- Shake with ice
- Rinse glass with absinthe
- Expressed lemon twist to garnish
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