On December 5, 2011, I met an old friend for dinner and drinks at the world renowned Smith & Wollensky restaurant. We actually started our evening in the ground level bar. S&W was a favorite haunt of mine, my colleagues, and my clients years ago, but has been has been a less frequented watering hole over the last four or five years for reasons that I cannot for the life of me remember.
The bar, today as in the past, is crowded, loud, well stocked, and reminiscent of great "manly" steakhouse bars.
After fighting our way to the bar, which is a prerequisite for even placing a drink order, I ordered my usual.
The bartender, a fixture at this location that I immediately recognized from years past, did an outstanding job of chilling the glass and chilling the vodka to an incredibly cold temperature. The shaking was quick and less than my expectation. That being said, the martini arrived with abundant ice crystals, a true spanish olive, and a surprising number of tiny air bubble still suspended in the mixture.
Although one generally spills up to a quarter of one's drink moving away from the S&W bar with a drink, I managed to salvage the vast bulk of my drink. My cocktail was generously proportioned, refreshing, and tasty. An excellent cocktail expertly prepared in spite of the limited shaking.
S&W, I give your martini a 9.5 out of 10. Keep up the good work. I will back and promise not to be a stranger.
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