Northshore Magazine

Northshore September 18

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

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NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 20 SEPTEMBER 2018 e moment Rob Blood, Marblehead native and owner of the successful Lark Ho- tels group, set foot on the roof of Salem's Newmark Building, he felt inspired to build a roof deck. "e Hotel Salem is in the heart of the city, which means we're pinned in by other build- ings, so in order to get some outdoor space we only had one option," he says. "Salem Harbor, Essex Street, PEM, the urban beauty, and the grit...you can see it all from the roof." When you arrive at the bar set atop the former Newmark's Department Store, the first step out onto e Roof at e Hotel Salem can be disorienting as you admire the panoramic view five floors above Essex Street. Is that the top of Old Town Hall? ere's the harbor in the HIGH ABOVE THE ROOFTOPS Located at The Hotel Salem, The Roof, Salem's first-ever rooftop bar, offers creative drinks, tasty snacks, and panoramic views of the Witch City. By Dinah Cardin distance, and in the foreground, spires, per- golas, slate rooftops. You're looking down on every major American architectural style, each represented within Salem's borders, but from a unique angle. e other tilting perception comes from the back of the house, from the outdoor kitchen. e motto here, "Strong Drinks, Simple Food," is more in line with the casual urban dining trends of big- ger cities. Do less and do it well. ere are oysters, an ahi tuna cocktail, ceviche, guacamole to share. Give me an atmosphere I can sink my teeth into and a menu that is small, sophisticated, and well done. is is shorthand, these days, for tacos, which are a savory superfood, in my opinion, with the ability to provide protein and pleasure in an unfussy, almost snack-like fashion. All of this is under the guidance of Lark's executive chef, Justin Perdue, who was hired to oversee a number of Lark Hotels' restaurants and has lent his creative energy to both Counter, which is in the hotel's lobby, and e Roof. Oh, and then there are the craft cocktails, some of which are on tap. ese change all the time, but if you are lucky, you could be drinking a pisco punch made with the infamous Peruvian brandy or a Spanish daiquiri made from tequila and banana liqueur with lemon and nutmeg. I highly recommend the habanero strawberry margarita to accompany the pork and pineap- ple tacos. is is made with habanero-infused tequila, lime, agave, Aperol, and strawberry purée. e more adventurous may want to try the frozen coconut margarita or the frosé, a fro- zen concoction of house-infused orange vodka, Combier Rosé, and lemon. "e space kind of sells itself," says Rob Hen- nigan, bar manager at e Roof and Counter. Of course, Hennigan is underselling himself and just how much he's able to capitalize on good local The Roof at The Hotel Salem offers cool cocktails and breathtaking views. / E AT+ D R I N K / PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSEPH FERRARO

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