And this my friends, is the art of the bartender--not the mixologist--even if they are one and the same.
In the past four weeks, I've been to The Bar Downstairs, The Beagle, Beecher's Cellar (twice), Pegu Club, ECC, Guthrie Inn, Lani Kai, Public, and Rum House... plus a few of my Brooklyn neighborhood spots that have a well-rounded tap list and a good variety of whiskeys, such as Toby's Public House and South. Hmm... there were also two wine bars in there somewhere.
I imagine that you might be a) impressed with my capacity and endurance, b) appalled at the amount of time and money I spend going out, and/or c) afraid for/concerned about the state of my liver. This is understandable, but I have simultaneously increased the amount of time I spend sweating every week to cleanse toxins... nicely this coincides with summer, a generally sweaty time of year. And I try to take advantage of happy hour when possible and have renewed my commitment to bringing my lunch to work and brewing my own coffee for the subway ride to make room for drinks in the budget.
Among all those spots mentioned above, there were a few that excelled in bartender hospitality. I won't bother to tell you about the negative experiences... I'm not in the mood to be a Debbie Downer, and anyone can have a bad shift, right?
It happens that two of the exemplars were part of last night's revelry. I started early with happy hour at Beecher's Cellar and ended late at The Bar Downstairs with LP. In between, there was a belly dance recital that showcased the many different forms of the Middle-Eastern art.
The host at Beecher's placed a tall cold drink with two straws between my companion and I and said, "This one is on the house. I heard you talking about whiskey. It's a cross between a sour, a smash and a julep." It was delightful, and so was the bartender for whipping up an off-the-menu cocktail based on our enthusiasm for good whiskey!
The Bar Downstairs has been a long-time favorite for LP and I. Both the bartenders and the wait staff are exceptional. And, the bar and kitchen are open, so depending on where you sit, you can get a great view of the mixing action. Last night we each had a delicious cocktail from their seasonal menu.
LP then requested a bespoke drink with honey syrup or honey liqueur and tequila as she was doing important research for June's NY Cocktail Club meeting which is themed, Honey It's Hot Outside. My second round was along that theme but with gin. It's quite a treat to have the bartender say, "Let me make you something with honey... Let's see... You like gin..." Yes, it's quite a treat--enough to make a girl wish she had on her fancy panties...
Anyway, from there, the three of us discussed ingredients until we landed on the addition of Yellow Chartreuse. The final cocktail had gin, Yellow Chartreuse, honey syrup, citrus, and a touch of Peychaud's bitters. It was a fantastic.
So, there you have it. Any bartender worth his salt should be able to concoct an off-the-menu drink that suits the personality of a thirsty gastronomer. And, I also love it when they are as much of a geek as I am about making a good drink--but with more knowledge and training. Those who are aloof, generally uninterested in interacting with bar goers, or patronizing, need not apply!
Until next time, my friends. In the meantime, I hope you encounter both great mixology and great bartending!
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