An array of cocktails from Khâluna. Photo: Monique Chaisavan Sourinho
The Maple Grove mixologist explores how to mix and match cocktails this holiday season.
Grant Lavrenz describes himself as “the world’s okayest bartender,” but don’t let his humility fool you. Lavrenz is always reaching for the stars in his quest to give his customers an unforgettable experience. “I’m still learning,” he says. “I like to be challenged.”
What began as a one-night bartending gig in college, making pitchers of margaritas at a Mexican restaurant, has since evolved into nearly two decades of mixology for Lavrenz, including his latest stint as the bar manager of the acclaimed Minneapolis-based Laotian restaurant Khâluna. It’s a role the Maple Grove resident has held for the past three years, during which time Khâluna was named one of the 15 best new restaurants in the country by Eater. It’s also a role that has allowed Lavrenz to expand his repertoire and flex his creativity. “Khâluna has been perfect for thinking outside the box,” Lavrenz says.
Falling for Flavors
It didn’t take long for Lavrenz to get hooked once he started mixing drinks. That one-night gig at the Mexican restaurant outside of Des Moines, Iowa, became a four-year stay. “It led to me making more creative drinks,” he says. “I was having so much fun learning and thinking of flavors.”
Lavrenz moved to the Twin Cities in 2011, where he continued to hone his skills and flavor profiles, primarily using the agave plant. “I really felt a sense of community here,” he says. “Minneapolis is a small, big city.” Then, three years ago, Lavrenz landed his job at Khâluna, where he dove right into learning what encompassed the flavors of Southeast Asia. “The more I researched, the more I learned, and the more doors opened,” he says.
It didn’t take long for Lavrenz to fall in love with the unique spirits behind Khâluna’s bar and the drinks that could be made using them. From martinis to cosmopolitans, the restaurant offers its take on several classic cocktails using the flavors of Southeast Asia. “You want to find that bridge between the flavors and the spirits on hand,” Lavrenz says.
Among his favorites on the bar menu are Khâluna’s Old Fashioned with its top-shelf Japanese whisky alongside a peanut liqueur, pu-erh (fermented tea) and a pair of Japanese bitters. Lavrenz also likes Khâluna’s Kanpai Martini with its lemongrass-infused gin, Honkaku Jigaden Shochu (a Japanese distilled spirit made from rice), Casa D’Aristi Xtabentún (a honey and anise liqueur based on an ancient Mayan drink), dry vermouth, tobacco and Thai spice bitters. “It’s a savory martini to sip on during dinner,” he says. “It has these tobacco bitters for smokiness.”
“I really like a savory cocktail or a drink that delivers multiple sensations,” Lavrenz says. “I want there to be multiple layers in every sip.” The goal is to give diners a unique experience. “People like to explore and get something they can’t have at home,” he says.
And for those who don’t drink alcohol, Khâluna has several nonalcoholic options. “It’s nice to have a whole section of nonalcoholic beverages,” Lavrenz says. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill mocktails, but instead beverages that sound just as appealing as their spirited counterparts, like the Five Spice Martini with a smoked chili pepper-infused nonalcoholic agave spirit, Chinese five spice syrup, Polynesian Kiss bitters, acidified pineapple and lime; or the Bitter Mekong Negroni with Phony Negroni, calendula syrup and cucumber lavender bitters. “We put in just as much work and time with infusions and syrups to give people that experience, but also make sure they leave here safely,” he says. “People really like that.”
A Spirited Student
“People always ask if I studied this much in school,” Lavrenz says. “I didn’t.” But given the right subject matter, Lavrenz has realized that he has plenty of capacity for learning. When he’s not chasing around his 7-year-old son, Grant Jr., Lavrenz says he spends a lot of time studying flavors, whether it’s eating food and breaking down its components to figure out what works together or talking to chefs and asking for their feedback. “I’m always asking, ‘How can I turn this into a drink?’” he says. “There’s a lot of trial and error.”
Khâluna has given Lavrenz the freedom to get creative with the bar menu. And while not everything works, Lavrenz is always open to suggestions. “I take the feedback, adjust and make it better.” Someday, Lavrenz hopes to turn all of this experience into a bar of his own. “The goal for the future is to have my own place,” he says. “I’m an industry lifer for sure.”
Khâluna
Instagram: @grantlavrenz
