 |
| Bar Tonique |
A few weeks ago, I waxed poetically about the squalor and splendor of that great American city, New Orleans. Diligent readers may have noticed I barely even mentioned cocktails, bars, etc, which for me is unusual. K and I were not teetotalers on this trip (ha!); instead I wanted to do a very special It's Twelve O'clock Somewhere Edition in honor of my favorite cocktails, drinking establishments, and liquor related entertainment that New Orleans has to offer. Below is my humble Top Five New Orleans Cocktail moments.
 |
| San Francisco Pisco Punch |
1. Bar Tonique: On our second night at this amazing bar right outside the French Quarter, I looked at K and said "Can you have a local if you don't live somewhere?". Bar Tonique is exactly the kind of bar I love: craft cocktails in a laid back, almost dive bar environment. Now, I don't mean that Bar Tonique is run down (anymore than anywhere else in New Orleans). I just mean that Bar Tonique is cozy, unpretentious and has that vibe that maybe you should order a beer or the dreaded and boring vodka cranberry and gamble on the electronic machines. Only, you shouldn't because they specialize in classic cocktails of every ilk. I had a couple great Mai Tais, a Jack Rose (that is how I know a bar is good, if they can make this obscure drink) and K had a lot of Sazeracs. We went there three times in our week there and were treated wonderfully by the staff and other patrons, locals and tourists, many of whom had been to New Orleans before and also discovered this great little place.
2. Sazerac Bar: The Sazerac Bar is your quintessential hotel bar: masculine, dark, wood filled and with waiters in white vests. Located in the beautiful Roosevelt Hotel (also home to John Besh's Domenica, which was fantastic! Who says you can't have Italian food in New Orleans?), this venerable institution was one of the stops K and I had to make on our bar crawl. Now, I don't just like it because our bartender was a major hottie: what can I say, I like bearded, cocky, mixologists who think they are exceedingly clever (sound like anyone, K?). K and I had a great time watching this Tom Cruise-in-Cocktail-wannabe, pouring drinks, throwing shakers and giving himself props for a job well done. I enjoyed my only authentic Hurricane of the trip, a New Orleans Classic that if done wrong is a fruity, sugary nightmare. Instead of that high fructose corn syrup concoction, I enjoyed fresh squeezed juices and a cornucopia of garnishes. The Sazerac Bar is definitely not easy on your wallet, but it is a relaxing, swanky place to enjoy quality cocktails surrounded by business men and women who look like they may be auditioning for The Real Housewives of New Orleans (aka, my idols).
3. Frozen Daiquiris: Speaking of high fructose corn syrup concoctions, K and I knew we had to try the New Orleans Daiquiris after seeing it on Anthony Bourdain's show, The Layover. We even took the St. Charles Streetcar out to the biggest outpost that was featured on the show and then walked around Audobon Park with our cocktails in the middle of the afternoon (NOLA knows how to do it right!) Frozen Daiquiris are exactly what they sound like, fruity slurpees with liquor, they have tons of flavors, it is a slushee lovers paradise! Sugar bombs, so many calories you don't even want to think about it (calories don't count on vacation, right?), frozen daiquiris are the perfect vacation treat, sinful, frivolous and a lot of fun. K and I enjoyed more than one of these (ok, lots) during our stay and usually ended our night walking around the city with them, well we dashed to Bourbon Streetn to buy them and then ran off to the more peaceful areas to sip them and talk. Plus, they usually give you a free shot when you buy one (also sugar bombs!) and who can resist that? When in New Orleans, let loose a little and enjoy something as sinfully ridiculous as a frozen daiquiri (as an aficionado I would recommend the Peach Bellini variety).
4. Carousel Bar: Yes, it is incredibly crowded. No, we couldn't even get a seat in the famous bar that looks like a carousel (and turns around every fifteen minutes). But you have to do it if you are in New Orleans. K and I went on our bar crawl on Saturday night and we started out at this venerable place. The bar is very large and we did manage to get one of the last seats, so going early isn't a bad idea. Honestly, I think it is a pretty typical hotel bar, one that is crawling with tourists of every ilk: classy and trashy (see the tourists next to us, who wanted to talk to me about their cat, Sammy Hagar). K's favorite part is that they gave you free snack mix, although I made him stop eating it after four bowls (they were pretty small, but still!) because I worried he was verging into the latter category. I enjoyed a Brazilian Sparkle which had rum, pineapple juice and lime topped with club soda (I would have preferred sparkling wine!) and K had the first of many Sazerac's that night. I will definitely go back again, if only to get a ride on that silly carousel.
5. New Orleans Rum Distillery: K and my travel style is generally pretty relaxed. We are more about wandering and stopping for lunch (and drinks) than breakneck museum hopping. But we do like to mix in our wandering with the city with guided tours. We have done bike tours, swamp tours and in New Orleans we took a cab out to the New Orleans Rum Distillery to learn how to make rum (very dangerous for a rum lover like me). The tour was interesting, informative and brief. But the best part was the welcome cocktail and the final shots of all of the rum they offer (including, light rum, dark rum, cajun spiced rum and their own ginger liquor)! K and I loved the Cajun Spiced Rum and picked up a bottle. It makes a killer rum sour and we are going to stock up again soon. I love reliving the memories of a place by having something at home that you were able to enjoy on the trip, and that Cajun Spiced Rum brings us back to that week in March where time had no meaning and it was always Twelve O'Clock.
Julie
No comments:
Post a Comment