The quest to find the best mojito and coffee martini (a la Trix) continues, and we have a new top contender in the mojito category: Cafe Red Onion on Kirby.
I had read on Citysearch (I think) that they won "best of" for their mojitos a couple of years ago, but since I always went there during lunch, and Mister was not exactly cooperative about going for happy hour - even when it was along the way home - I had not tried one. Plus, drinking mojitos on purpose is a relatively new thing for me, so I probably wouldn't have ordered one before anyway. Since mojitos are on their list of specialty drinks, they get plenty of practice making them, and that is evident in the quality. No mint liqueur here -- all freshly pounded mint leaves, great for getting stuck in your teeth. They weren't as strong as those at TMC, but then, presumably, it is not the primary objective of the bartenders at Red Onion to get you drunk enough to eagerly part with your money in exchange for looking at somebody dancing naked half way across the room. Pricing was acceptable as well, even after happy hour had ended.
Kudos being given for the mojitos, the same cannot be said of the coffee martini. Even after explaining the ingredients to the bartender, I somehow ended up with a concoction similar to the bimbo drink at Maggie Ritas. Strange, I don't remember saying there was Tia Maria or Tuaca in the mix...they also did not have choco-covered coffee beans on hand, so he was kind enough to throw some plain ones in. Needless to say, I stuck with the mojitos afterward.
Saturday, I gave Sherlocks on W. Gray a try for coffee martinis, since I had already tried their mojitos -- which were made with mint liqueur and therefore eliminated from the viable contenders. Let's just say whatever it was they made for me was drinkable, but not necessarily enjoyable, so they are a non-competitor in that category as well. Is there any drink they DO make well? Seems to me that if you expect more from a bartender than popping the cap off a bottle, you're pretty much SOL at Sherlocks. However, the band playing that night, Rat Ranch, was very entertaining, playing pool was free, and it's not a bad place to hang out for the money, so I guess I just need to plan on drinking beer when I go there.
Next up on the mojito and martini search: Oporto. Noticed a "Cappuchino Martini" on their drink menu last night, so I'm hopeful.
1 comment:
I do know that my way is not the only way to make the coffee/espresso martini... but it's the only way I could figure out on my own.
I will tell you the absolute WORST one I had was at Sullivan's. There's was straight vodka w/ a splash of coffee liqueur. I said WTF is this... he said a coffee martini... I said no it's not. I couldn't drink it.
As for mojito's... the place past I've had the is at La Bodeguita in Puerto Vallarta!! Yum!!
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