Best Martini?

"I think I'll have a martini; two at the most. Three I'm under the table; four I'm under the host." I just love Dorothy Parker, and martinis.

Any suggestions for a great one? I'm a purest, gin, hit of vermouth, olives or twist.

Love them at Jack's Lounge, Z's Oyster Bar, Brix (yes, the wine bar) and Uptown Cafe.

I really don't care for them at 60 West even if it is billed as a martini bar.

Martini's in The Summit has a good one - I love the blue cheese stuffed olives.

This is an easy one.

Take a little trip over to http://www.majidstmatthews.com/ and see our buddy Stevie D.

This is an easy one.

Take a little trip over to http://www.majidstmatthews.com/ and see our buddy Stevie D.

+1

Thanks guys!

We're still in development of the new cocktail program, so all the drinks aren't set- heck, some of the equipment isn't set!



You're more than welcome, though, to come in when I'm around and I'll walk you through some of the selections that we've decided upon and some of the selections that are still kinda rough (then there's always my bartending database of drinks-from-days-past.)

I work Tues-Sat and am generally available on Mondays depending upon home-life constraints.

A sneak-peak of upcoming attractions:

The Seafoam Martini
Russian Standard Vodka, Olive Foam, House-Cured Salmon Belly Olive

The Warm Negroni
Plymouth Gin, Aperol, Camparo Antica, Espressed Lemon

The Gore Vidal (In Repose)
Woodford Reserve, Stripped Black Pepper, Brandy and Benedictine

Garden in the Glass
Vodka (haven't decided, yet,) Shirazi Water, Olive Oil, Pickled Watermelon Rind

There will be an accompaniment drink, more than likely a pop-rocks drink, a deep-and-dark scotch drink, my Tobacco Manhattan, a melon aqua-fresca affair and I have great hopes for this wild Bloody Mary idea (it involves gorgonzola fondue- schtanky cheese!) I'm also interested in doing a force-carbonated cocktail, as well...

Who knows what the final print will be? I sure don't.



That being said, allow me to send you to my compatriots (in no particular order and omitting those already mentioned)

MEAT- Don't walk, run.
Silver Dollar- Fully pedigreed from top-to-bottom, they're gonna kill it, promise.
Basa- Kyle Higgins just released a new menu and everybody's buzzing about his work.
Proof- You love 'em, I love 'em, we all love 'em.
Varanese- Rory is an understated genius.
Limestone- see Varanese.
Harvest- I enjoyed my visit, very much.

Upcoming...

The Boiler Room- We're all excited with what Jared Schubert is about to do.

This was off the top of my head- there's also some that I may have forgotten (sorry,) or some that are undetermined (ATG has a snappy young mixologist that's raising some eyebrows.)

This is certainly an exciting time for our genre in Louisville! I hope this helps.

What is The Boiler Room...?

What is The Boiler Room...?

It's going to be downtown in a building called the point. I'm not sure of his exact vision, but he's one of the original Social guys, so expect speakeasy/classical style...

I'm curious if anyone just goes to a bar and orders a "Martini" without any further specification. I've found that's a recipe for a less than satisfying experience most of the time unless you intentionally want something different.

On the other hand many times after ordering with great detail the bartender ignores you and fixes it his or her "signature" way again leaving you disappointed.

My definition of a great Martini experience is therefore a place that understands what you are saying and will prepare it the way you order it. Several already mentioned do it well. Majid's will do it your way and I visit there each time I come home. My favorite over the last twenty years was Cafe Metro, and Uptown carries on the same tradition.

Bombay Sapphire, Noilly Prat Vermouth from a freshly opened bottle, hand stuffed olives with fresh blue cheese (no olive brine or pre-marinated bottled olives) well chilled without becoming a slushy in a classic Martini Glass is hard to beat.

I'm curious if anyone just goes to a bar and orders a "Martini" without any further specification. I've found that's a recipe for a less than satisfying experience most of the time unless you intentionally want something different.

On the other hand many times after ordering with great detail the bartender ignores you and fixes it his or her "signature" way again leaving you disappointed.

My definition of a great Martini experience is therefore a place that understands what you are saying and will prepare it the way you order it. Several already mentioned do it well. Majid's will do it your way and I visit there each time I come home. My favorite over the last twenty years was Cafe Metro, and Uptown carries on the same tradition.

Bombay Sapphire, Noilly Prat Vermouth from a freshly opened bottle, hand stuffed olives with fresh blue cheese (no olive brine or pre-marinated bottled olives) well chilled without becoming a slushy in a classic Martini Glass is hard to beat.

I'm ready to drink.

I'm curious if anyone just goes to a bar and orders a "Martini" without any further specification. I've found that's a recipe for a less than satisfying experience most of the time unless you intentionally want something different.

...I am recalling the last time I tried to order a Martini in a bar. The young lady behind the bar informed me (somewhat impatiently) that they made 20 or 30 (coulda been 40, I forget) different "Martini's and which one did I want. When I told her I wanted a REAL Martini she just got this glazed look in her eyes, she had no clue what a real Martini was.

Just because it's in an up glass doesn't make it a martini. I'm always surprised when I say Bombay Sapphire (or any gin) and I get the "Oh, gin not vodka." I don't have anything against vodka, but that is not classic martini fixin's.

Just because it's in an up glass doesn't make it a martini.

+1 Unfortunately lots of places thinks it does! That's all places like the one Steve was referring to come up with such a huge list of "Martinis"!

Just because it's in an up glass doesn't make it a martini.

+1 Unfortunately lots of places thinks it does! That's all places like the one Steve was referring to come up with such a huge list of "Martinis"!

A chocolate fudge flaming martini with cherries doesn't count?

50 drinks of crap will always equal crap, promise. Call it a Martini all you want- it is not. It is not a Martini glass, it never has been. It is a cocktail glass.

And the cocktail requires bitters.

Otherwise it is a drink.

The original Martini is unrecognizeable today. 3:1 Vermouth to Gin, no joke. It was designed and named after Martini and Rossi Vermouth. Conscientious bartenders are trying to bring this tradition back.

At some point it simply becomes a Ketel One, up.

And the world of vermouth is a large and complex animal. I can bring to bear so many flavors simply by turning a bottle upside-down. Look at MEAT's menu- lots of vermouth cocktails going on there...

Back door lounge. Sound silly but they are good, strong, and cheap. Plus, they don't instantly shake the heck out of it and water it down.

Isn't a martini to be shaken only when asked? I like it when the bartender "swirls" the booze in the cup or used that long spoon instead of shaking the absolute hell out of it thus leaving me with chunks of that nasty ice LOL Chill the stuff, I don't want a slurpee!