Meet the Ice Program (and Cocktails) Coming to Yardbird

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar is working fast to be the last restaurant to open in 2014. The Sotuhern-inspired restaurant going in at the Venetian wants to debut by Dec. 30.

In the meantime, the restaurant just dropped some details on its cocktail program that includes five different types of ice. Expect Yardbird’s bartenders to serve up flavored ice cubes as well as "garnishing cubes" that add flavor without watering down the drink.

For example, a martini might get a frozen olive brine cube to make it dirty. The more ice, the dirtier it gets.

Bartenders there plan to chip ice off the block with a Japanese ice saw and crush it with wooden mallets. The presentation alone makes the difference on a cocktail like The Pork Chop with Ridgemont Reserve 1972, apple cider, dijon syrup, yuzu juice and fresh thyme topped with a dijon cube.

Ice at Yardbird

Yardbird plans to use Clinebell-made craft ice sourced from Las Vegas-based Premium Ice.

Already lead mixologist Rob Ortenzio created the list of cocktails, craft beers, bourbon infusions, and specially sourced, boutique distillery spirits. Here’s a look at some of the cocktails:

Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade — Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Fresh Lemon, Cardamom

Southern Peach — Wild Turkey 81, Aperol, Fresh Lemon, Thyme, White Peach Puree, Sweet Tea

Watermelon Sling — Troy & Sons Platinum White Whiskey, Fresh Pressed Watermelon Juice, Fresh Lemon, Rosemary, Aperol

Yardbird Old Fashioned — bacon infused Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Angostura bitters, maple syrup

Albert’s Collins — Absolut, Avion Reposado, Spring 44 Old Tom Gin

Blind Lemon Shandy — Miami Brewing Co. Big Rod Ale, Bacardi Superior, Bombay Sapphire

Lil’ Red Rooster — Patron Silver, Veev, Campari, Berentzen Cherry liquor, splash of pineapple juice

Rum-ble ‘N’ Sway — Bacardi 8, Atlantico Reserva, Carpano Antica, Nux Alpina Walnut liquor, a Bourbon soaked black cherry