Oh, how I love discovering a new summer-appropriate cocktail, especially when Valley temperatures have nested in the 100 degree-plus range for almost two months. So when a friend threw a themed dinner party complete with a signature cocktail recently (the theme of the party more or less being, 'It's hot as hell out there, so we're staying inside with cold beverages') I was intrigued.
The night's drink was the Dark & Stormy, which I initially misheard as a Dark & Smarmy, which I think makes a fantastic name for a cocktail. The main ingredients of the D&S are ginger beer and dark rum, although after making a few of the drinks, the hostess became convinced that she had either picked up the wrong type of rum or had botched the proportions of each ingredient. Never having had a Dark & Stormy before, I couldn't really weigh in on how it was supposed to taste, but I did enjoy what she had put in front of me. The ginger beer played nicely off the rum, creating an overall flavor that was somehow reminiscent of cola, but lighter and tangier.
Three days later I found the Dark & Stormy on the specialty drink menu at the Palazzo's Cut (a great place for pre-dinner drinks, by the way) and ordered it, happy to compare it to the possibly botched dinner party drink. As it turned out, my hostess had it pretty much right on the money with her cocktail, but there was one big difference between the two versions -- hers was made with Reed's Ginger Beer, while the Cut D&S was made with Barritt's Ginger Beer. The Barritt's by itself is less sweet and more ginger-y and tangy than the Reed's, and gave the Dark & Stormy just a little more spice and bite. The cocktail was refreshing and less syrupy and sweet than it's cousin, the rum and Coke. Since the cocktails at Cut, I've kept my eyes open for Barritt's to bring home. And if some dark rum somehow finds its way into my ginger beer at home, I guess I have the summer heat to thank.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Banana-rama
Yes, it's fruity beer time here on the drunkymonkey page. After first spotting Wells Banana Bread Beer a few weeks ago, I finally got around to sampling it (twice) in the past couple o
f days. It's an enjoyable and interesting beer, but I don't see myself ordering it on a regular basis.
One way this beer totally delivers is by managing to capture banana flavor without tasting like it's made with Banana Flavoring. Good banana "flavor" is just hard to do -- most banana flavored things (especially candy) are gross, because the banana flavoring itself has a distinctively odd, unnatural quality. Luckily, the Wells BBB manages to avoid that blunder. The Banana beer smells just like banana bread, and the finish has a nice hint of banana flavor, but other than that, the slightly bitter beer itself doesn't suffer from the added fruit flavor.
Another win for the Wells beer is the absence of sweetness. The BBB smells of banana, and has a hint of banana flavor, but isn't particularly sweet, which I find to be a good thing. It still tastes like a pretty good (if just a bit watered down) brown beer, rather than a novelty.
(Available at Lee's Liquor and LBS at the Red Rock Casino.)
f days. It's an enjoyable and interesting beer, but I don't see myself ordering it on a regular basis.One way this beer totally delivers is by managing to capture banana flavor without tasting like it's made with Banana Flavoring. Good banana "flavor" is just hard to do -- most banana flavored things (especially candy) are gross, because the banana flavoring itself has a distinctively odd, unnatural quality. Luckily, the Wells BBB manages to avoid that blunder. The Banana beer smells just like banana bread, and the finish has a nice hint of banana flavor, but other than that, the slightly bitter beer itself doesn't suffer from the added fruit flavor.
Another win for the Wells beer is the absence of sweetness. The BBB smells of banana, and has a hint of banana flavor, but isn't particularly sweet, which I find to be a good thing. It still tastes like a pretty good (if just a bit watered down) brown beer, rather than a novelty.
(Available at Lee's Liquor and LBS at the Red Rock Casino.)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Strawberry Fields
I have long been a fan of the Samuel Smith beers, so I really couldn't help but try it when I spotted Samuel Smith's Organic Strawberry Ale at my local liquor store.
This fruity ale smells strongly of strawberry as soon as the cap comes off the bottle -- you don't even pick up the smell of the actual ale from wafting, you have to get your nose right into the glass.
I didn't know what to expect from this beer flavor-wise, but what I got was still pretty surprising. On first sip the flavor is very strongly strawberry and sweet, but with a rather clean and bright flavor -- not as much like strawberry candy as I expected, but still very much the flavor of cooked strawberries rather than fresh, which was not surprising. After a few sips it is still sweet, though not as sweet as a cider, and the beer becomes increasingly bitter and ale-ish on the finish.
Overall I think this is OK as a summer beer, although I definitely didn't need to drink an entire 550 mL bottle of it (of course, I did anyway.) I think it works best as a one-glass beer, either on its own as something different and interesting or as a stop on a beer tasting flight. It might have some potential cooking applications -- somehow I think it could be incorporated nicely with a meal involving pork loin and a grill? -- but that's an idea best left to the chef in the test kitchen.
(Available at Lee's Liquor, also comes in Raspberry and Cherry flavors.)
This fruity ale smells strongly of strawberry as soon as the cap comes off the bottle -- you don't even pick up the smell of the actual ale from wafting, you have to get your nose right into the glass.
I didn't know what to expect from this beer flavor-wise, but what I got was still pretty surprising. On first sip the flavor is very strongly strawberry and sweet, but with a rather clean and bright flavor -- not as much like strawberry candy as I expected, but still very much the flavor of cooked strawberries rather than fresh, which was not surprising. After a few sips it is still sweet, though not as sweet as a cider, and the beer becomes increasingly bitter and ale-ish on the finish.
Overall I think this is OK as a summer beer, although I definitely didn't need to drink an entire 550 mL bottle of it (of course, I did anyway.) I think it works best as a one-glass beer, either on its own as something different and interesting or as a stop on a beer tasting flight. It might have some potential cooking applications -- somehow I think it could be incorporated nicely with a meal involving pork loin and a grill? -- but that's an idea best left to the chef in the test kitchen.
(Available at Lee's Liquor, also comes in Raspberry and Cherry flavors.)
Monday, June 1, 2009
Joining the Mothership
The first time I enjoyed a Mothership Wit was during a celebratory post-half-marathon breakfast at Hash House A Go-Go. Both me and my running mate wer
e borderline delirious after 13.1 grueling miles at Red Rock Canyon, and while the first sips were absolute heaven, I was beyond buzzed halfway through the glass.
A delicate brew in the style of a Belgian white ale, the Mothership Wit has proven itself time and again since that initial, dubious tasting session. The first organic beer from the good people over at the New Belgium Brewing Company, it is crisp and light with just a hint of citrus. The exemplary summer beer, this brew goes down easy -- though my intentions were merely to reacquaint my taste buds with the MW during a recent "tasting session," I found myself accidentally killing three bottles in rapid succession. Oh well. I'm not mad at you, New Belgium.
e borderline delirious after 13.1 grueling miles at Red Rock Canyon, and while the first sips were absolute heaven, I was beyond buzzed halfway through the glass.A delicate brew in the style of a Belgian white ale, the Mothership Wit has proven itself time and again since that initial, dubious tasting session. The first organic beer from the good people over at the New Belgium Brewing Company, it is crisp and light with just a hint of citrus. The exemplary summer beer, this brew goes down easy -- though my intentions were merely to reacquaint my taste buds with the MW during a recent "tasting session," I found myself accidentally killing three bottles in rapid succession. Oh well. I'm not mad at you, New Belgium.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Super Douche-ville
Let's just call a spade a spade and get on with it. A recent trip to the far end of the Valley finally brought me to the Blue Martini at Town Square. I'll admit, I was curious about the place -- it's marketed like crazy through billboards, print ads, and the never-ending radio commercials for Ladies' Night. Could it actually be awesome?
The answer is a definitive "no" -- the place is utterly douche-tastic. It's also far larger than I imagined, and the interior is very '80s -- the perfect venue for a hair-band revival show. Yes, cheesy. There are three sprawling inside rooms, each featuring a bar (and one with a stage, hence the imagined Poison/Nelson/Whitesnake show) but the night I was there, only one of the three was open. There's also a large patio, complete with a large, oval shaped bar and the heavy stench of desperation. The place is a super meat-market, basically the Kona Grill of the Southwest valley.
Just down the hallway from the Blue Martini, the Cadillac Ranch awaits. This bar is heavily cowboy themed, another sprawling space with several large bar areas, a stage and dance area for live music, and of course, a mechanical bull. Cadillac Ranch is basically the amped up bastard offspring of the Roadrunner and Dylan's. On the plus side, the evening happy hour meant $2.75 Blue Moons, which were good. If I had to kill time at one of these two establishments, it would be Cadillac Ranch. The cowboy theme may not be my cup of tea, but the place could be fun with the right group of people, and the overall attitude was a lot more laid-back and comfortable than at the Blue Martini.
The answer is a definitive "no" -- the place is utterly douche-tastic. It's also far larger than I imagined, and the interior is very '80s -- the perfect venue for a hair-band revival show. Yes, cheesy. There are three sprawling inside rooms, each featuring a bar (and one with a stage, hence the imagined Poison/Nelson/Whitesnake show) but the night I was there, only one of the three was open. There's also a large patio, complete with a large, oval shaped bar and the heavy stench of desperation. The place is a super meat-market, basically the Kona Grill of the Southwest valley.
Just down the hallway from the Blue Martini, the Cadillac Ranch awaits. This bar is heavily cowboy themed, another sprawling space with several large bar areas, a stage and dance area for live music, and of course, a mechanical bull. Cadillac Ranch is basically the amped up bastard offspring of the Roadrunner and Dylan's. On the plus side, the evening happy hour meant $2.75 Blue Moons, which were good. If I had to kill time at one of these two establishments, it would be Cadillac Ranch. The cowboy theme may not be my cup of tea, but the place could be fun with the right group of people, and the overall attitude was a lot more laid-back and comfortable than at the Blue Martini.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Going to the South Side
To this drunkymonkey's way of thinking, the best thing the M Resort has going for it (aside from the gorgeous interior design) is the balcony seating adjacent to its Lobby Bar, which
overlooks the pool, and farther out, the city of Las Vegas. It is well-worth the $8.50 for a specialty drink (about half of what you'll pay for the same drinks at a lot of places on the Strip) to kick back on the balcony and take in the views. The interior of the Lobby Bar also delivers. Sleek, inspired by the local landscape in earth tones and marble, it's a very inviting space.
But back to those $8.50 specialty drinks.
First up was the Honey & Ginger (top right), a mix of Jose Cuervo, ginger liqueur, fresh ginger, lemon juice, pure honey, mint leaves and ginger ale. It seemed equally feasible the mix would lead to either a refreshing, unique cocktail or a syrupy, bland cocktail. Happily, refreshment won out. The honey is used to rim the glass, giving the drink a touch of sweetness without sugar overkill. It also has a slight bite of ginger, which intensifies with each sip and plays well with the hint of honey and mint flavors in the drink.
At the bartender's suggestion I also tried the Seedless Watermelon (bottom right, Ketel One Citroen, fresh lemon juice, Midori and fresh watermelon juice) one of the Lobby.jpg)
Bar's most often ordered specialty drinks. The Seedless Watermelon smelled like a Jolly Rancher, and wasn't quite as refreshing as the Honey & Ginger, although the watermelon juice did taste fresh. On the whole, the drink was sweeter than anticipated, probably because of the underlying Midori, which was just a little too overpowering for the watermelon juice. A fine idea, but this drink doesn't quite live up to its potential.
Beyond the Lobby Bar, the M Resort offered a couple of notable, beverage-related treats. First, there are self-serve refreshment stands sprinkled about the casino offering complimentary soft drinks, water, coffee and tea. Why didn't someone think of this sooner? Second, the sports book bar touts a seriously good selection of beers, among them Ephemere, Duvel and Chimay. Someone at the M Resort deserves a pat on the back for that.
overlooks the pool, and farther out, the city of Las Vegas. It is well-worth the $8.50 for a specialty drink (about half of what you'll pay for the same drinks at a lot of places on the Strip) to kick back on the balcony and take in the views. The interior of the Lobby Bar also delivers. Sleek, inspired by the local landscape in earth tones and marble, it's a very inviting space.But back to those $8.50 specialty drinks.
First up was the Honey & Ginger (top right), a mix of Jose Cuervo, ginger liqueur, fresh ginger, lemon juice, pure honey, mint leaves and ginger ale. It seemed equally feasible the mix would lead to either a refreshing, unique cocktail or a syrupy, bland cocktail. Happily, refreshment won out. The honey is used to rim the glass, giving the drink a touch of sweetness without sugar overkill. It also has a slight bite of ginger, which intensifies with each sip and plays well with the hint of honey and mint flavors in the drink.
At the bartender's suggestion I also tried the Seedless Watermelon (bottom right, Ketel One Citroen, fresh lemon juice, Midori and fresh watermelon juice) one of the Lobby
.jpg)
Bar's most often ordered specialty drinks. The Seedless Watermelon smelled like a Jolly Rancher, and wasn't quite as refreshing as the Honey & Ginger, although the watermelon juice did taste fresh. On the whole, the drink was sweeter than anticipated, probably because of the underlying Midori, which was just a little too overpowering for the watermelon juice. A fine idea, but this drink doesn't quite live up to its potential.Beyond the Lobby Bar, the M Resort offered a couple of notable, beverage-related treats. First, there are self-serve refreshment stands sprinkled about the casino offering complimentary soft drinks, water, coffee and tea. Why didn't someone think of this sooner? Second, the sports book bar touts a seriously good selection of beers, among them Ephemere, Duvel and Chimay. Someone at the M Resort deserves a pat on the back for that.
Tiki Heaven
All too often, the thing that's missing in Vegas bars is character. In the land of a thousand PT's Pubs, swanky hotel ultra-lounges and look-alike sports bars, a watering hole that pulls off a unique (and interesting, or just plain comfortable) identity of its own is a rarity. And this is what makes Frankie's Tiki Room such a treat. Located in the not-so-sexy downtown area of Charleston and MLK, Frankie's is a teeny-tiny place owned by the same people responsible for the Double Down Saloon, a bar that pretty much has nothing but character to boast about.
The outside of the place is innocuous enough, but upon entering Frankie's patrons will find themselves in a tiki wonderland. They also will find themselves temporarily blinded by the darkness if they venture in during daylight hours, as I did. (It's worth mentioning that once you've regained your sight and situated yourself at a table with frosty beverage in hand, it's pretty entertaining to watch others walk in and then fumble in the dark while waiting for their eyes to adjust. Just remember, that was you only a brief time ago.)
But back to the tiki wonderland -- Frankie's is indeed one small room, resplendent with little, wooden chairs and tables that appear to be carved from tree stumps, tiki statues, thatched roof, theme-appropriate surf guitar soundtrack, a vice tester carnival game and all manner of strange old beach party clips running on TVs over the bar. The room is comfortably kitsch-y, theme-y and fun without feeling like a Disneyland property.
The drink menu offers the standard Tiki fare (the Zombie, Mai Tai, Lapu Lapu, Pikake) and an assortment of original rum-based creations. I sampled the Malekula, a tasty mix of coconut rum, Tuaca, melon liqueur and pineapple juice, the Bearded Clam, basically a mojito with a splash of passion fruit, the Ninth Island, a mix of gold and silver rums, 151 proof rum and pineapple juice, and the Zombie, a tart, pleasing mix of rums and juices. The mixers used in each tasted fresh, an important detail for these types of drinks.
Between its happy, lived-in ambiance and its heaping spoonful of character, Frankie's Tiki Room is a place I want to frequent. I want to go back to Frankie's for drinks with my local friends, I want to take my out-of-town friends to Frankie's when they come to Vegas and want the local experience, and I can't wait to introduce Frankie's to my various friends who have moved away temporarily, but are on their way back home.
And isn't that the ultimate endorsement for a locals bar in Vegas?
The outside of the place is innocuous enough, but upon entering Frankie's patrons will find themselves in a tiki wonderland. They also will find themselves temporarily blinded by the darkness if they venture in during daylight hours, as I did. (It's worth mentioning that once you've regained your sight and situated yourself at a table with frosty beverage in hand, it's pretty entertaining to watch others walk in and then fumble in the dark while waiting for their eyes to adjust. Just remember, that was you only a brief time ago.)
But back to the tiki wonderland -- Frankie's is indeed one small room, resplendent with little, wooden chairs and tables that appear to be carved from tree stumps, tiki statues, thatched roof, theme-appropriate surf guitar soundtrack, a vice tester carnival game and all manner of strange old beach party clips running on TVs over the bar. The room is comfortably kitsch-y, theme-y and fun without feeling like a Disneyland property.
The drink menu offers the standard Tiki fare (the Zombie, Mai Tai, Lapu Lapu, Pikake) and an assortment of original rum-based creations. I sampled the Malekula, a tasty mix of coconut rum, Tuaca, melon liqueur and pineapple juice, the Bearded Clam, basically a mojito with a splash of passion fruit, the Ninth Island, a mix of gold and silver rums, 151 proof rum and pineapple juice, and the Zombie, a tart, pleasing mix of rums and juices. The mixers used in each tasted fresh, an important detail for these types of drinks.
Between its happy, lived-in ambiance and its heaping spoonful of character, Frankie's Tiki Room is a place I want to frequent. I want to go back to Frankie's for drinks with my local friends, I want to take my out-of-town friends to Frankie's when they come to Vegas and want the local experience, and I can't wait to introduce Frankie's to my various friends who have moved away temporarily, but are on their way back home.
And isn't that the ultimate endorsement for a locals bar in Vegas?
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