The Continued Pursuit of the Perfect Martini
- March 21st, 2008
Last night, GFI and I dolled up and hit our favorite haunt, Anthology Supper Club. Their house band was playing, so we wanted to catch a few sets and have some cocktails. (Herb Albert is playing there tonight — I wish I’d known!)
Every time we go to Anthology, I love it more. (You can read about the very first time we went here.) The staff is sweet, the atmosphere is relaxed, but refined, and the music… well, I love jazz. I love love love it. So, it may not be for everyone, but we like it. Their food is absolutely incredible, albeit wee. This time we had a duet of Maytag blue cheese souffles with fresh arugula (rocket for my English friends *wink*), a couple spiced candied walnuts, port poached pears in a port reduction and a bit of Stilton. It sounds like a lot, but it was about 6 bites or so. 
We also ordered Frite Misto which was a lovely combo of lightly battered bits of fish (we noted salmon and some kind of whitefish), prawns and lobster with a caper remoulade. We had a hard time deciphering the lobster and suspect that it missed our batch, but it was still delicious.
Now, the important stuff – the cocktails. I recognized last night, once and for all, that I’m just not much of a fruity drink person. If it’s a margarita or a sangria… well, those are in their own league. Umbrella drinks aside, I am not really one to order apple-tinis or even Cosmos. It’s vodka martinis, slightly dirty, 3 olives, straight up. The sugar in those other drinks just doesn’t jive with me, especially when I’m eating. I like sampling them and creating them, but for pure cocktail enjoyment, I’m old school. Yet, being the adventurous chick I am, I ordered a Blood Orange Drop, which was blood orange vodka, fresh blood orange, a squeeze each of lime and lemon and a dash of simple syrup. The flavor was delicious, but it just wasn’t a “sipping” drink for me. It was too sweet, especially with the rim of sugar. But it was pretty! Personally, I’d serve it on the rocks in a collins glass, skip the sugar rim and hit with a splash of soda. Now that sounds drinkable…
GFI ordered a Ginger Peachtini which was Peach Vodka, ginger simple syrup and… something else. I can’t remember. It was good, though! I liked it better than my Blood Orange thing. Next up we enjoyed some of the best Grey Goose dirty martinis I’ve ever had. Seriously. After our experience at Starlite with the sea monkeytinis, this was like drinking the nectar of the gods. When Kathy visits, I’m totally taking her there… I dare say it was perfect, but I think it requires further testing. Yeah. 
After listening to a few sets and chatting with the singer and trumpet player for a bit (the latter’s Kind of Blue was swoonable), we wrapped up the evening with a drink no longer on their menu: the After the Show. We’d had it there before and were surprised to see it off the menu, but they were happy to make us a couple. It’s Stoli Vanil vodka, Kahlua French Vanilla, Bailey’s, espresso and a drizzle of chocolate in the glass. *faint* So good… so so so good. Again, like fruity drinks, I’m not much of a “dessert cocktail”-type, but I do make a few exceptions. When they’re not overly frou-frou, too creamy or too sweet, it’s fine. There’s a subtlety to it and most bartenders have a heavy hand. I think this one is a keeper… I just need to get them to give me the measurements. 
It was yet another fabulous night at Anthology. Whenever I go, I’m overcome with “Why am I not singing more? Why am I not up there doing that?” It always lights a bit of a fire under me… we all need that sometimes. GFI and I agreed that we don’t mind indulging our budgets once in a while because the quality of the evening is so much richer. I guess that’s part of getting older… it’s more about the experience and the company and no longer about what the well drink specials are and “gosh, do I have enough change under my couch cushions to buy shots tonight?”
After our last cocktail, we hailed a cab and rode the mile and a half back to our place and were in bed by 10:30pm. *sigh* God, I love being a grown-up. It’s more expensive, but I get way more sleep…
got one of your own? share it.
Dude. I’m still on cloud 9 dreaming about the After the Show drink. It was a perfect “night cap” after our AMAZING (finally!!!) Martini’s. Priceless I say. I remember scoffing at the bill…ha! Our time was priceless. I love, love, love, with floaty hearts and kisses…love Anthology’s guts. I can’t wait for us to see more shows…and for you TO SING.
*pees*
I share you distaste for sweet drinks – they turn sour in my stomach immediately, blech!
For some real old school, ditch that vodka from your martini, and replace it with some Citadelle gin. 19 botanicals built on a recipe from 1771. It’s hard to get older school than that without delving into mediaeval rock gut. Citadelle is the Grey Goose of gin.
@Derek: I do love gin martinis. Sometimes gin is a bit too aromatic for me, but it’s definitely the classic. I’ll have to try Citadelle, though… thanks!
I think you touched on my issue with most cocktails. I like the idea of them, and the first few sips are good, but I’m just not into drinking much of something that sweet. Although I will say I will drink anything with Bailey’s in it. I love that stuff. Believe it or not, I’ve never had a straight up vodka martini! But I know I like grey goose and I love (LOVE) olives, so I’m guessing I would dig them.
I’m happy to read someone else loves Anthology! I went there a couple weeks back as an early B-day dinner for a friend. Holly Cole was performing and my buddy is a huge fan. He swoons for her really. Her band rocked the joint. Sitting on my desk is a set list and pictures I *still* have to put online.
Procrastination Land here I come.
I still go for gin as a straight up choice for martinis but agree with you that vodka makes the best mixed ones. Wow I did A Lot of drinking that night.
Sounds like my kind of place. I LOVE jazz. And if I had a life to do over, in that one I’d be a jazz singer.
I can’t handle much of the taste of alcohol. Like, doing a shot of straight up booze gives me a gag reflex. So regardless of if the drink is sweet or chocolatey or just cold beer, as long as the bite of alcohol is hidden from my taste buds (or whatever causes the gag reflex when I drink booze), I’m good.
nice post!
I think you touched on my issue with most cocktails. I like the idea of them, and the first few sips are good, but I’m just not into drinking much of something that sweet. Although I will say I will drink anything with Bailey’s in it. I love that stuff. Believe it or not, I’ve never had a straight up vodka martini! But I know I like grey goose and I love (LOVE) olives, so I’m guessing I would dig them.
However, classic martini recipes from the early part of the 20th century use a gin-to-vermouth ratio as low as 2:1. The most common ratio for a classic, as opposed to a modern, martini is 3:1. The broad variation of gin to vermouth ratios is the source of much discussion and speculation.