5 minute read
Life's a Party
Life’s a Party
BRYAN ARRI’S SUGARCANE AND AGAVE-FORWARD FERN BAR LANDS IN THE CROSSROADS
By Jordan Baranowski
Bryan Arri has long been a standout in the Kansas city cocktail scene. He’s shaken things up full-time at some of the metro’s most cutting-edge locations, including Manifesto, Rye, and The Monarch— you’ve probably noticed his fiery locks as he holds things down at the bar. For the past few years, Arri has hosted his own concept, Fern Bar, around the city. Now, after years of preparation, the pop-up bar is finally putting down roots of its own—Arri plans to open the brick-and-mortar location before the end of the year in the Crossroads Arts District.
Located at 2045 Broadway, Fern Bar will be a casual-chic cocktail spot that specializes in sugarcane and agave spirits. At the most basic level, that means rum and tequila/mezcal, though we’ve seen enough of Arri’s work to know that Fern Bar will push those boundaries as far as they can go.
Even though Arri’s experience comes mostly from high-end concepts, he’s looking to bring something of a new outlook to the local beverage scene. Fern Bar’s website proudly proclaims that it is “changing the way Kansas City drinks,” and Arri wants to make sure that any pretentiousness surrounding good cocktails is left at the door. When asked about his staff’s approach to their menu, Arri is happy to share a touching story.
“It comes from something my late grandfather, Tom, used to say,” Arri says. “He was a man with an infectious laugh who was able to take command of any room through his incredible aura. During his life, he suffered great hardship—including losing three wives to cancer. I once asked him how he was able to remain so joyful despite all the tragedy, and he told me, ‘First, keep your faith. Secondly, life’s just a party, and I’m there.’”
Arri continues: “When I was planning the concept of Fern Bar, I myself suffered a terrible loss: the passing of my little brother. I knew I wanted a spot where you could leave your troubles at the door, a place where everyone felt safe and welcome, and a place where we could remind everyone that life is a party worth being at. If you’re here to chat with a bartender about artisanal mezcal, sip daiquiris with coworkers for happy hour, or take shots with your friends on a Saturday night—those all sound like parties to me. I really hope that every guest feels a bit of my grandfather’s spirit when they spend time at Fern Bar.”
When Fern Bar opens their doors (Arri is hoping for mid-December but knows that delays are always a possibility), the first menu will showcase a selection of honed classics that each demonstrate the strengths of their focal spirit. These include rum-based drinks like Daiquiris, Mojitos, and Planter’s Punch. Across the aisle, agave-based spirits shine in refined versions of the Margarita, Paloma, Oaxaca Old Fashioned, and more. Arri also hopes to showcase classics that might fly a little under the standard radar: He highlights the Jungle Bird, Naked & Famous, and El Presidente as classic cocktails that don’t appear on many menus but will be a part of Fern Bar’s offerings on day one.
Starting simple is a two-fold process for Fern Bar. On the one hand, Arri knows that people generally aren’t as familiar with agave and sugarcane spirits as they might be with cocktails that utilize whiskey or vodka.
He says, “In today’s cocktail landscape, menus continue to get increasingly esoteric and difficult to understand. It’s easy to order a drink where you haven’t heard of half the ingredients and walk away absolutely loving it—but without any idea of why.”
By starting basic, he hopes guests are more willing to come on a journey with the bar and the staff, learning about what they like in a drink and why.
Of course, that also means he needs to have an on-point staff. Arri is extremely confident in his team, educating them on the finer points of how these drinks were developed and helping them to understand the nuances of the different spirits they’re using. By starting them on the basic cocktails that use agave and sugarcane spirits, he hopes to create a team that is soon riffing and experimenting on some crazy concoctions.
“We are building a team toward becoming the best in the city at menu development,” he says.
Once they’ve got their footing, Arri says he can’t wait to see future menus at Fern Bar.
Finally, Arri’s previous time at high-end cocktail bars around the city has given him some unique connections and insights that he hopes to pass along to patrons.
“We really hope to be able to highlight smaller producers—people that are giving back to the communities they work within,” he says.
If you’re looking to expand your horizons on these historically varied and unique spirits, Fern Bar sounds like it will be one of the best places to taste and learn about them.
In case you couldn’t tell, Fern Bar is a place we’re really looking forward to. Keep up to date with them on social media to stay aware of when their doors are officially opening. Arri seems to have a strong, sustainable vision about how to continue pushing the cocktail scene in Kansas City forward and open a new spot that is welcoming and unpretentious, with plenty of outside-the-box ideas. Just like Grandpa Tom would have wanted: If Fern Bar is always going to be this kind of party, we are there for it.
Fern Bar
2045 Broadway Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
