NYCtini?

August 8, 2005 12:27 PM

Where can I get the best gin martini in New York City?
posted by footnote to food & drink (14 comments total)

Bemelman's at the Carlyle hotel. Absolutely perfect. It's on E. 76th.
posted by luriete at 1:57 PM on August 8, 2005

oooh, I was looking for an excuse to go there and see the murals anyway!
posted by footnote at 2:37 PM on August 8, 2005

Anything made with ingredients other than Gin, Vermouth, some ice for shaking and either an olive or twist is not really a martini. Hotel and steakhouse bars tend to take some pride in making a real martini. Hip and trendy places have bastardized the drink. Some of their versions are fun, but they are not real martinis.
posted by caddis at 2:38 PM on August 8, 2005

Not true. A Vodka Martini may not be a classic Martini, but it's still a Vodka Martini. I will agree that the classic version tastes better (though for some odd reason, Gin screws me up about 10x more quickly than vodka does, so I don't usually go there).

For any classic cocktail in NYC, I recommend the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel.
posted by psmealey at 2:52 PM on August 8, 2005

The Rainbow Room, because the mixologists there learned from Dale Degroff, who no longer tends bar on a regular basis.
posted by solid-one-love at 3:32 PM on August 8, 2005

Try the gin martini -- made with Hendrick's gin and cucumbers and topped with Malden sea salt -- at Town. It was named "Best Martini" by New York Magazine in 2001.
posted by ericb at 3:39 PM on August 8, 2005

Cucumbers? Agghhhh!
posted by caddis at 6:04 PM on August 8, 2005

Another excellent NYC cocktail temple is Angel's Share on Stuyvesant in the East Village. Plus you feel like you've wandered into a speakeasy. This is one of the few places I feel comfortable ordering things like Sidecars and Old Fashioneds.

Anyone know if the Pegu Club is open yet?
posted by Vidiot at 7:17 PM on August 8, 2005

caddis - Have you tried Hendrick's? It is a gin infused with coriander, juniper, citrus peel, rose petals ... and yes ... cucumbers! I, personally, like it. The martini at Town is quite delectable. But, in the end, it comes down to personal taste, doesn't it?

Gin has had an interesting history ... from Dutch Courage through Plymouth Gin to the Gin Martinis of today! Cheers!
posted by ericb at 7:57 PM on August 8, 2005

Gin has always been "flavored" with juniper berries and botanicals.

Known as Genever (Jenever in Belgium) gin was/is a white spirit made from grain -- usually wheat or rye.

"Botanicals can include anise, angelica root, cinnamon, orange peel, coriander, and cassia bark. All Gin and Genever makers have their own secret combination of botanicals, the number of which can range from as few as four to as many as 15."

So, cucumbers are not considered an outlandish additive for inclusion in gin.

Try it, you'll like it.
posted by ericb at 8:32 PM on August 8, 2005

I also highly recommend the Negroni, which to my palate, is the finest cocktail known to man. It is equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and campari, though you can adjust these to taste.

Also, possibly of interest is a French gin called Magellan that I discovered last year. It is so smooth you can pretty much just drink it straight from the (chillled) bottle.
posted by psmealey at 4:02 AM on August 9, 2005

I was partial to the martini at Smith and Wollensky on East 51st. It is only just barely too small to take a bath in.

I also like Negronis a lot.
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:46 AM on August 9, 2005

This is one of the few places I feel comfortable ordering things like Sidecars and Old Fashioneds.

IMHO, you should never feel uncomfortable about ordering a classic cocktail. Most barkeeps I know will take such drink orders with pleasure, whereas ridiculous drinks like Appletinis and Cosmos are frequently met with eye-rolling (Amateur night!).
posted by psmealey at 1:57 PM on August 9, 2005

It's usually out of fear of getting a crummy drink than it is lack of comfort with the surroundings. I pretty much only drink classic cocktails -- my taste is somewhat limited and fairly old-fashioned, no pun intended -- and it's hard to find a bartender that will do these cocktails justice. I've all but given up ordering anything that's the least bit complicated or that depends on good ingredients unless I'm confident I'm in a place that won't screw it up. One that won't use soda water in an Old Fashioned and will use fresh lemon juice in a Sidecar. One that knows what bitters are and when to use them. It's a matter of how much I trust the bartender...and sadly, I just don't trust most of 'em.
posted by Vidiot at 4:18 PM on August 9, 2005