[dropcap color=”color-default” font=”arial” style=”normal” size=”scmgc-5em”]S[/dropcap]porting jeans, a baseball cap, and a black and white[dropcap color=”color-default” font=”arial” style=”normal” size=”scmgc-5em”][/dropcap] t-shirt reading FUCK WITH ME and inked arms, Gabriel Sanchez makes brisk movements through his establishment. He whacks away at pineapples, shedding the hulls and cubing chunks with such rhythmic swiftness it’s mesmerizing. “Honestly, people have done it before me and will continue to do it after me. It’s not something that I made up at all. But if you do it right, it’s difficult. You have to cut the fresh fruit every single week and drain it. There’s a lot of steps involved, but it’s good. ” Gabe explained. Once he’s done, the pineapples are drowned in vodka. In a week or so he’ll drain the fruit, repeating the steps over again. “After a month it should be ready to go and then you taste it and hope for the best,” Gabe said. The concoctions are utterly gorgeous, perched on black shelves. Strawberries, blueberries, and even pears are accompanied with their very own elixirs. But it’s the Honeycrisp Apple and vanilla pecan bourbon infusions that give me life. The pecan is sweet with a nutty finish that lingers on the lips, while the

Honeycrisp Apple is full of fall. It’s kind of magic.

Gabe is a cool guy. He moves around his bar, Black Swan Saloon with visible wisdom. No perceived cockiness, but you know that he knows what he’s doing. The shelves of the saloon are lined with bottles I’ve never heard of. Every bottle has a story, and Gabe knows them. Whistle Pig Straight Rye Whiskey, Highland Park Scotch Whiskey, but it’s the Templeton Rye Whiskey that carries his favorite tale. Originally made during prohibition in the little town of Templeton, Iowa Gabe proclaims, it as the “good stuff.” “The only people that drank it was like, Al Capone” he said. Somewhere around the early 2000’s, two guys found the recipe and revived it. Unlike most ryes the Templeton Rye Whiskey isn’t considered as peppery making it smoother.

Though there are cocktails here to bring out your inner Gatsby, the saloon is not about catering to a certain crowd. Maybe you want to try something a little whimsical, or maybe you just want to pop open a Miller and shoot the sugar. For Gabe this really doesn’t matter. “As long as you’re cool I don’t care, but soon as you’re not, it’s a wrap. Like you got to get the fuck out, fast,” Gabe said simplistically. Smirking and wiping the counter space he continued, “People like that. For the most part people work their asses off and they want to enjoy themselves and try something new, and have a chat with their girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever.”

Black Swan Saloon makes it effortless to relax. The jazzy music is low enough to giggle at all the sweet nothings your date relays to you. Almost 4-years-old this place feels like a celebration in cool. It’s in the hardwood floors, the massive mirrors, and the giant drawing of two black pistols crossed behind a vintage microphone with script reading, Deep Ellum Texas.  But,the coolest thing of all might be Gabe’s

decision to have a nameless building. But he isn’t keeping this jewel away from thirsty patrons. The door is open. “I didn’t want to put a sign up. You know, this whole business grew organically, but I wanted it to be more about what happens inside, then for someone seeing a really cool sign walking by. If you do the core things right, you don’t need that,” he said.

In a few hours the saloon will fill up. Regulars and newbies will make their way inside. Stories of nights past and nights to come are shared over curious concoctions. The clink of glasses, and laughter consume the room. Tonight, the good times roll. txMB

 

 

 

 

Black Swan Saloon

2708 Elm St, Dallas, TX. 75226