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As the craft is returning to the profession of bartending and increasingly more establishments from hotels to independent restaurants and even the upscale chain restaurants are returning to real ingredients like fresh juices and classic recipes, we as consumers are reaping the benefits. Cocktail menus and bar specials are beginning to cater to consumer palates and expand our search for great flavor.

 

In many cases we can order iconic cocktails like the Negroni, the Sazerac, the Ramos Gin Fizz and actually stand a chance of getting these classics well made. You can also pull out your iPhone, open a cocktail app, and show the bartender the recipe that has caught your eye!

 

With so many resources at our fingertips there is no reason why bars should not be full service and capable of preparing a range of classic cocktails but especially the icons of the cocktail world like those mentioned above and others like the Mai Tai, The Singapore Sling, the Bloody Bull, and the Stinger.

 

If you ever place an order that the bartenders can’t fulfill then notify the establishment’s manager so he can adjust the staff’s training or offerings. Consumer suggestions may move mountains. For example, today, sadly there are still a majority of restaurants and bars that do not offer fresh lemon and lime juice for their sour style drinks. There are too many menus that feature chilled vodka in cocktail glasses mixed with flavored schnapps or a new liqueur brand and the result is sweet and cloying. If you find yourself or your guests in this scenario, ask the bartender for three or four lemon or lime wedges and do a bit of drink doctoring. Often the addition of a couple lemon wedges or lime wedges squeezed into a sickly sweet drink can transform the drink into a well-balanced enjoyable cocktail.

 

You can always start your night off right by visiting ZAGAT® and DRINKWELL®certified Restaurants and you will have premium spirits to choose from and a well-trained staff. Whether you are ordering the most complex or simplistic drink on or off the menu, in no case should poor drinks or a bartender with attitude be tolerated more than poor service or unacceptable food in the dining room.

 

Be conscious of your environment when placing an order. A quick scan of the cocktail menu can tell volumes about a place. If a menu is all “martinis” you are probably dealing with an inexperienced staff. There are Martinis and there are cocktails, and when all nine drinks on a menu are called martinis with different flavorings then consider that a definite danger sign – it may not be the best establishment to try out that new combination you have been toying with. It’s always best to ask the bartender how comfortable they are mixing a new combination or utilizing spirits that appear as if they aren’t a typical serve at the bar. I never blame a bad menu on the bartender because the bartender more often than not is not included when preparing the cocktail menu and perhaps that is one of the problems! Imagine the GM or dining room manager presuming to prepare the chef’s menu without advice from the kitchen staff – it probably won’t create the most desirable situation.

 

 Cheers

See you next week …enjoy your drinks responsibly and don’t forget to turn the lights out when you leave.

Dale aka kingcocktail