Customize Your Own Gin and Tonic at Char

If you’ve ever seen me gleefully choose veggie combos to fill my poke bowls at Craft Sushi, then you know I love a customizable meal and any chance to have someone who’s a better cook than me throw all my favorite things together in a bowl. That’s why I was intrigued when I saw that Char Steakhouse & Oyster Bar (1620 E. Republic Road, Springfield, 417-823-8383) offered customizable tableside gin and tonic cocktails. They start with Aviation gin and the ever-trendy Fever Tree tonic. But you get to choose what to add in. You can pick fennel, dill, cucumber, caraway liqueur, thyme liqueur and elderflower liqueur. The freshly floral combo of cucumber and elderflower sounds right up my alley—especially when it feels just a tiny bit like it was my  own invention.