23 June 1st–June 7th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | cONTeNTs | feeDBacK | OPiNiON | NeWs | feaTuRe | NighT+Day | culTuRe | film | cafe | music | All Aboard Sip cocktails on a train at one of the country’s best bars, stationed in Phoenix. BY CASSIE BRUCCI A s a native Phoenician working in the hospitality industry during the late aughts, Jason Asher began noticing a pattern among his peers. After getting their start at promi- nent Arizona establishments, they’d ulti- mately leave for a job in a larger city. “The perspective was always, ‘I can’t grow my career here, so I’m gonna move away,’” Kailee Asher, Jason Asher’s busi- ness partner and wife, explains. Jason spent the next decade working with other notable Valley bartenders and restauranteurs to cultivate a strong craft cocktail scene in his home state — one he hoped would retain rising talent and give the community a point of pride. In 2015, Jason Asher and Rich Furnari founded Barter & Shake Creative Hospitality, now known as Barter & Shake Cocktail Entertainment. Since then, the group has launched multiple Valley hotspots, each known for their inventive drink menus and immersive themes. The company currently owns and operates Platform 18 at Century Grand, UnderTow and The Grey Hen Rx, all cocktail bars that frequently earn praise from local outlets. After years of Arizona-focused acclaim, national tastemakers took note. In addition to a recent feature in Bon Appétit, Platform 18 was named one of North America’s 50 Best Bars on May 4. Coming in at no. 48, it was the only bar from Arizona to make this year’s list. The judging panel was composed of 260 North American industry professionals, making the win all the more satisfying for the Barter & Shake team. “That means the world to us,” Kailee says. “We created an incredible hospitality experience for multiple people, and [our peers] wanted to recognize us.” Touted as one of the most unique concepts on the list, Platform 18 features an interior modeled after a Presidential Pullman train car, complete with digital window screens showcasing scenic land- scapes. Through a 90-minute journey, guests are immersed into the world of Hollis Cottley Pennington, a fictitious hero conducting business in New Orleans during Prohibition. Each year, the team aims to create a new story for their central character, with a new set of drinks to enjoy. Learning history through immersion As an avid history buff, Jason enjoys learning about the past as much as he enjoys a good cocktail, Kailee says. When he began working with Barter & Shake co-founder Rich Furnari, the two bonded over their shared love of both things. This led to the establishment of Counter Intuitive in 2015, a bar that changed its concept multiple times per year. Open two days a week, the bar allowed the duo to indulge their penchant for exploring history through imbibing. “You can take elements of the [histor- ical] truth and turn it into this fictional narrative. And that’s the one thing we essentially did,” Kailee explains. For the grand opening, the team set the scene in New Orleans due to its significance as the oldest cocktail city in the U.S. They featured their takes on classic Crescent City drinks through the lens of a fictional char- acter’s estate sale. To help get the word out ahead of the opening, the team ran an ad about an estate sale for a Mr. Bartholomew Sugarman and hosted it at the bar. Grace Stufkosky ▼ Chow Platform 18 feels like you’re inside a Presidential Pullman train car. >> p 25
