First look: A sneak peek of the Ritz-Carlton’s new bar, Kinship, opening Friday

Forget everything you think you know about hotel lobby bars. The Ritz-Carlton’s new Kinship concept, which opens Friday night, is set to be a see-and-be-seen spot for Charlotte’s trendiest drinkers and diners.

Kinship is located in the same space as the Uptown hotel’s former lobby bar, but it’s been rebranded and seriously revamped. Supple leather stools line the bar, while slate blue velvet sofas and low tables in champagne gold hues create intimate spaces for mingling over drinks and small plates.

A fountain at the end of the room has been turned into a stage that will host jazz bands on Friday and Saturday nights, and a Latin band on Thursday nights. And if the vibe feels familiar, it’s because the design is by Hirsch Bedner, the firm that also created the swanky space for the hotel’s 15th-floor Punch Room.

Of course, the stars of this show are the food and drinks. Executive Sous Chef Juan Pablo de la Sota Riva, who came to Charlotte after stints at the hotel’s Cancun and Naples properties, created a menu of small, sharable plates in a variety of international flavors.

Highlights include curry chicken meatballs ($12) topped with cashews and cilantro, and tuna tartare ($18) in a ponzu sauce with fresh avocado. And while $14 for three deviled eggs may initially induce a flinch, have another drink and move past it. These creamy and delicate concoctions are worth every penny.

These are not your average deviled eggs. Filled with garlic cream curd and mayo mixed yolks, these delicate “New Devil Eggs” ($14) are topped with caviar.

Bartender Brett Leek spent the last month crafting the cocktail menu, which features fresh-pressed juices, local ingredients and innovative mixtures. For a pre-dinner drink, try the signature Kinship. Made with Doc Porter’s bourbon, fresh cranberry juice, ginger syrup and Hellfire Bitters, it comes with just the right amount of spicy kick. If you’re stopping by later in the evening, order the Java Affliation, a smooth and sweet drink made with fresh espresso and vanilla vodka, and topped in a Kahlua Bailey’s foam.

The “Always Have Peach-Other” features limoncello and Ciroc Peach Vodka, lemon juice, and a red wine float with a floral garnish.

Not convinced you want to dine on caviar and cocktails? No problem. Kinship will continue to offer plenty of the traditional beers, wines and casual cocktails. Plus, the menu still features classic dishes like a cheese plate or chipotle buffalo wings. Just be prepared to feel envious when the person next to you is enjoying those eggs.

Photos: Justin Driscoll

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "First look: A sneak peek of the Ritz-Carlton’s new bar, Kinship, opening Friday."