Mixology is not a career that Jennifer Elkhatib ever thought she’d have, but today you can find her at Aria’s cocktail lounge, Alibi. “I’m happy,” she said. “It’s fun to do something different, something new. Looking back, I am so grateful that I moved to Las Vegas.”
Flashback five years ago and Elkhatib was an investment banker, on track to becoming assistant vice president of her company. She worked more than 70 hours per week, seven days a week, which often included flying back and forth from her home in North Carolina to New York. But eventually the economic downturn took its toll.
“I loved working as an investment banker,” Elkhatib said. “But it got to a point where it didn’t make sense anymore.” So, she did what a lot of people did—she rolled the dice, packed her bags and moved to Las Vegas. On her second day in town she landed a job on the Strip, gaining hands-on experience in bartending. Over the next few years, she bartended at various nightlife venues, picking up more knowledge on the way. When Alibi opened last year, Elkhatib knew that’s where she wanted to be.
“At Alibi we serve traditional, classic, speak-easy cocktails, some with our own twist,” she said. Her Alibi experience has included lots and lots of studying on how to concoct delicious cocktails, and even today, she said, she’s still learning. It seems rolling the dice, in Elkhatib’s case, paid off.
Witch’s Broom Fashion
In honor of Halloween, Alibi has created a specialty cocktail available throughout October. The Witch’s Broom Fashion mixes Gentleman Jack whiskey, cinnamon tea syrup, Angostura bitters and Scrappy’s chocolate bitters. The orange peel and cinnamon stick garnish is creatively fashioned to look like a witch’s broomstick. The taste: hints of orange, cinnamon and a sweet spice add to the smooth taste of the Gentleman Jack.
