Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
First, the co-founders of Narwhal’s, Brandon Holzhueter and Brad Merten, applied craft cocktail standards to the boozy slushy to create elevated frozen drinks. They use real fruit purées, fresh herbs, and offbeat tinctures to produce a rotating roster of 16 frozen concoctions, from a basic hibiscus gin and tonic to a potent riff on the innocent chocolate-covered strawberry.
The partners followed with carbonated cocktails on draft, traditional classics shaken with local spirits, and spiked ciders, as well as such hot offerings as a bananas Foster latte.
Narwhal’s two locations (Midtown and St. Charles) switched to a curbside-only model in April, but the partners are eager to introduce a sister concept, Loaded, next to the St. Charles Narwhal’s. It’s not what you think, though: The duo have taken the same make-it-better philosophy and applied it to…nachos.
“Taco chips are a blank slate,” says Merten, “so our idea is to showcase different cuisines and present nachos in an inspired and Instagrammable way.”
