Simply Marvelous

The 20-somethings of the prohibition era had a different kind of nightlife, that’s for sure.

But it’s not like the “Noble Experiment” actually eradicated the drinking, selling and transporting of alcohol. They just had to be sneaky (not unlike flask-yielding under-agers).

While the poor prohibitionists had no choice but to drink at secret speakeasies, in 2011 it’s about making history trendy, and brothers Andrew and Eric Dayton (yep, the sons of our governor) have latched on to that very sensation in the creation of their new venture, Marvel Bar.

As you’re led around the back of the Bachelor Farmer (the Dayton brothers’ North Loop restaurant) it’s hard to know what to expect. There’s no sign of a bar anywhere, provoking a panicky moment of  “What’s going on here?” Next you’re dumped into a dimly-lit, unassuming hallway.

It’s silent in the corridor, marked by several doors — some institutional grey and one plum-colored. There’s a brief moment of Lewis Carrol-esque whimsy but your gut tells you to go with the purple door and with a simple twist of the handle you’ve entered a realm of elegant underground leisure.

Aesthetically, Marvel Bar is about relaxation and class. It’s not a big space but it’s a space that, if you’re lucky enough to snag one of the leather easy chairs, dares you to order another martini.

It’s a visually pleasing room made intimate with dim yellow lighting and a peek into the wine cellar (the whole back wall is glass). Drink in hand, it feels more like you’re in the living room of some ’20s business tycoon.

 Ambience aside, Marvel Bar is first and foremost a bar. And here, crafting cocktails is a form of high art. Head bartender Pip Hanson takes the chemistry of bartending very seriously, but only for the best results. At the receiving end of a Hanson Gimlet, one should have nothing less than great expectations. After all, he didn’t spend time perfecting his trade under a Japanese cocktail master for nothing.

The drink menu at Marvel, which Hanson worked for nearly a year to construct, offers options both modern and classic, each crafted with meticulous precision.

“I wanted to create a menu that was deceptively simple,” Hanson said. “I approach it like music. If you have an awesome bassist and an awesome guitarist, you don’t always need to work with anything else.”

 Original concoctions like the popular Olivetto, which combines egg white, gin, olive oil and lemon juice prove his theory completely.

Also unique to the Marvel is the craftsmanship that goes into each cocktail. Hand chipped ice is prepared for each drink as every individual ingredient is mixed and prepped in separate beakers. It’s made to look scientific, and though it’s odd to watch someone prep your drink for nearly 10 minutes, the resulting product says it all.

Averaging at about $12 a cocktail, Marvel may seem inaccessible for the college budget, but Hanson doesn’t want to be exclusive.

“We want everyone in here,” he said. “We also offer $3 cans of Hamms, some tap beer and $1 bags of Cheetos. We don’t want to leave anyone out.”