Peccadillo

I stopped by here with some friends to celebrate a birthday.  Thankfully the birthday girl was also not impressed and we didn't stay long.  Very poor (few) draught selection and those available are relatively (to the Carrboro and Chapel hill area) overpriced.  It was a fairly busy saturday night but the set up of the Peccadillo only facilitated a lot of standing around drink in hand.  A few friends purchased uninspiring, and again overpriced, cocktails.

To enjoy the Peccadillo you need to have a very particular tastes, regarding the drink options and atmosphere.  I would personally not go back but it is definitely worth checking out yourself!

For me, Peccadillo is a "special occaision" kind of place, meaning, I am poor and this place is expensive. But if there's one thing P-dillz excels at, it's making you feel cool just being there. And that's important-- why else choose a schmancy bar over pantless Bulleit shots in your kitchen at a dollar a pop?

My first night there, my friends and I were all twittery and nervous-- Will they let us in?? Is it exclusive? No, it's not. It just appears that way for the 'cool' factor. It's hard to find, but crossing the threshold from streetside to swanky is like being transported, somewhere we Carrborians only dream of-- Bushwick. And the prices reflect that.

I sat down at a table and was promptly waited on by Dean. I was oddly amused by his lab coat and the beakers at the bar, and asked him if he served any "savory" cocktails, assuming that the mad scientist theme was a mixologist reference-- maybe they'd make me something weird like a dijon+sage martini or something. It was Dean's turn to be amused as he pointed out the FOUR cocktails they serve. FOUR. THEY SERVE FOUR. (martini, negroni, manhattan, neat/otr) What is this nonsense??? I was close to walking the five blocks back to my well-stocked kitchen. But it turns out you can swap out the whiskey or tequila or gin in something for something else, blah blah, so he convinced me to get a Tequila Negroni. And for a ten dollar cup of liquor, it was pretty damn good.

A friend of mine ordered the cheapest beer on the menu and said it was the best beer he'd ever had. "einbecker schwarzbier" only found at Sam's Quik Shop and Peccadillo, locally.

The bartenders here, especially Dean, really make this a great bar, however. As a twenty-two year old, I'm used to getting snubbed by bartenders who don't expect me to spend money, or aren't interested in chatting. Dean hung out at our table, answered many of our questions, and put up with my fading sobriety with a smile. I insisted to him that I like my martinis dirty and that I'm a salt addict, and with my next martini (which was delicious) he also provided a CUP of Castelvetrano olives! I. was. stoked. And so was the rest of my table.  My friend ordered the cheese plate and it was one of the best cheese plates I've had in some time, pretty pleasing for "bar food."

The night ended with Dean serving me a glass of Cava on the house, endless banter, and me, hobbling and singing my way down Mainstreet to my house. These guys know how to show you a good time, the mood was right, and for one night I felt like I'd left the triangle for something a little more hip. I will definitely be returning, especially when I have friends I want to impress.

I love this place.  As soon as you enter you really feel as though you have been transported to another time and place other than Carrboro 2013.  The lighting is dark, the music is awesome and although the space itself is pretty simple, it is always full of interesting people.  Go there by yourself and you are sure to meet someone new!
That said, it's really all about the drinks and the bartenders crafting them, isn't it?  The guys and gals that work at this place really know their stuff and can make you a delicious drink or help you find a wine that is not only tasty, but consistently something different and intriguing.  No plain ole Pinot Grigio here!