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Reb Roy

Creative cocktails are fine on their own, but they are especially effective when used to bolster the personality of a restaurant's experience. Citron and Rose's bar has the drill down pat from clever names to smart recipes, from the beet-sugared vodka-pom

David M Warren, Staff Photographer

Creative cocktails are fine on their own, but they are especially effective when used to bolster the personality of a restaurant's experience. Citron and Rose's bar has the drill down pat from clever names to smart recipes, from the beet-sugared vodka-pomegranate Cosmonaut to the Tea and Sympathy that blends bourbon with honeyed black tea. I was most impressed, though, by the Reb Roy, in part because I love modern twists on classic drinks - this one substituting Knob Creek for the Scotch of a standard Rob Roy. The double pun of "Reb," of course, is a nod to both bourbon's Southern accent and Citron's Jewish theme: Reb means "teacher" in Yiddish. But the novel touch here is the replacement of the usual sweet vermouth with "barrel-aged" Manischewitz - suddenly palatable due to the miracle of charred oak. Along with house-made bitters and a boozy prune (no cherries here!), it helps this creative cocktail sing its unique and fruity sweetness in tune.

- Craig LaBan
Reb Roy, $12, Citron and Rose, 370 Montgomery Ave., Merion Station, 610-664-4919.