Dean Burnett has been around for quite a few years. He's been at the Corner for more than a decade, and at the Townsend Hotel (which the bar is attached to) for nearly three. People know his face and his name, and he treats his customers like family.
"I like that I meet people when they're here at the bar, and a few years later I see them walking down the street with their dog or even a kid," he says. He gets to know his customers personally, which is one reason why they keep coming back.
"I like being part of the fabric of the hotel and even the city," he says.
When it comes to bartending, Burnett stays out of the creative process. He says he lets the younger, hipper workers take care of that. He says he isn't a "showtender" either.
"My bartending philosophy is the personal relationships — that's what is most important to me," he says.
The drink menu changes seasonally at the Corner: Right now you'll find festive favorites like cider margaritas and maple bourbon sours. But the drink that's perennially a favorite at the upscale bar, no matter the season, is the mojito. Made with fresh ingredients and house-made simple syrups, Burnett says customers just can't get enough of this tropical refreshments. They cornered the marketed on the classic mojito, and their fruity flavored versions like coconut-pineapple, raspberry, and dragonberry are just as good.
"Mojito"
5-6 fresh mint leaves
One half of a lime
Splash of Roses lime juice
1 ounce house-made simple syrup
3/4 ounce Bacardi
3/4 ounce Bacardi Limon
Muddle mint leaves and lime in the bottom of a glass. Add ice, lime juice, simple syrup and rum. Serve with lime for garnish.
