North Loop speakeasy Flora Room is worth the hunt

• The menu has nearly a dozen classic cocktails and around eight specialty drinks ranging from $11-$25.

What I ordered: I asked for the cocktail with the fanciest presentation and was served the Palo, a rum-based drink with vermouth and sotol.

• First, the bartender lit a stick of Palo Santo (a piece of wood made from the tree of the same name), put it in an empty glass, and covered that with a transparent glass dome.
• After mixing the cocktail, he took off the dome and poured the drink into the glass as smoke fanned out. Watch it on our Instagram.

• The smoke lingers in the glass, and you can smell and taste it as you sip. But it's not overwhelming.

The bottom line: Though we were initially in Flora Room waiting for our drinks reservation upstairs, my dining partner and I enjoyed our cocktails so much that we decided to stay in the speakeasy to order more.

• Of note: The bar is first-come, first-served, and filled up fast when we were there.