With 2300, the new bar within a bar at Canton's Myth and Moonshine, there is a fair amount to unpack.
First, it is owned and operated by Shanna Cooper, the woman who brought Myth and Moonshine to the neighborhood more than two years ago. Second, while the two share an address, 2300 is presented as a separate bar and restaurant with its own menu and speakeasy-inspired concept. Third, its website describes it as a "casual yet mildly refined hole in the wall." Lastly, based on a couple of recent weekend visits, 2300 seems to still be finding its footing and identity.
The bar opened the first weekend in February, and we had heard most crowds were coming for nightcaps after dinner. But when we arrived around that time on a recent Friday night, the crowd was barely pushing double digits.
"It's usually busier," a bartender said. A slow night, especially in the dead of winter, was not alarming, but our service was.
A friend who recently finished law school in New Orleans was excited to see a cocktail on 2300's menu called the Atchafalaya Mud Water ($9), a reference to the river in Louisiana. It sounded intriguing: muddled French olives, sweet vermouth and pepper-infused gin.
The problem was the bartender was not familiar with it, despite the fact it was printed on the professionally made menus. After he repeated the name twice, the friend resorted to pointing to the drink's name.
The bartender apologized, but added 2300 had only been open for a few weeks, as if it were a valid excuse. No matter the bar or when it opened, staffs should be properly trained on its menu from front to back. The cocktail menu at 2300 has only seven drinks listed, so it is not asking too much of its bartenders to know the products offered. This is bar-training 101.
Of the three cocktails we tried that night, the Atchafalaya Mud Water made the strongest impression because of its bold flavor profile. The pours of the Royalist ($12) tasted off — the Bombay Sapphire gin predictably played nicely with the basil and lemon juice, but we wanted more burn from the Buffalo Trace White Dog mash. The French Nobility's ($10) use of butterscotch moonshine and Art in the Age Root Liquor combined for an off-putting bubble gum flavor I had no interest in finishing.
We left 2300 that night wondering, "Was that a fluke of an off-night or reality?"
A second trip the following weekend tipped the scales toward the former. We went earlier in the night and immediately saw a larger crowd. (It's worth noting that an annual neighborhood bar crawl was going on at the time.) The staff was noticeably more on top of its game and engaging with customers. Our empty glasses were removed or refilled quickly, and we were checked on periodically.
Another plus: Our cocktails were better. The Directory ($13) kept things refreshingly simple with Bulleit Rye, cranberry moonshine and an orange twist for garnish. The Second Line ($9) was a bit flat conceptually (New Make Trybox corn whiskey and Captain Morgan rum with a splash of Coke) but tasted fine. It was at least better than liquid Bazooka Joe. Even the Royalist had the balance we looked for the first time we ordered it.
It was encouraging to see 2300 improve from week to week, but even after our most recent visit, it still did not make complete sense. I can't be alone in thinking it is confusing to house two bars under the same roof — even one the size of Myth and Moonshine. There is no signage outside for 2300, and not enough separation between the two entities once you're inside. On our first visit, two different acoustic-guitar-wielding duos played songs on different floors at the same time. Nothing kills cool "speakeasy" ambience faster than the sound of acoustic guitars bleeding into the second floor.
Decor accents like zebra print on a wall and a Victorian sofa near the bar do their best to establish an identity separate from downstairs, but it's just not enough. That sentiment could describe 2300 all together, from the cocktail menu to its design. It is still early for 2300, so there is time to work out kinks, but it is hard not to wish it had arrived fully formed.