La Residence, Hue
by The Mixer on Jan.01, 2011, under East Asia, Hue, Vietnam
This lovely art-deco hotel on the banks of the Perfume River in Hue, located opposite the Citadel, also does a very creditable dry gin martini.
First tested in 2009, I recently visited again and supped on one of their classic creations as the sun went down.
Definitely best enjoyed outside by the riverbank where a chorus of local crickets will help you wind down after a busy day and you can also hear the small boats putt-putting by.
8 1/2 out of 10.
Website located here.
Halia Hanoi
by The Mixer on Jan.01, 2011, under East Asia, Hanoi, Vietnam
A nice enough bar and pretty good restaurant, these guys do a Martini Night roughly once a month.
You buy a 5-drink card, and away you go. The sweet mix-cocktail versions are a bit cloying for my tastes, but the classic and dirty martinis are reasonable. They get better by the 4th & 5th!
Last time I was there they gave me one free when I suggested they use a 90-proof Gin instead of the standard Gordons that was on offer. Overall these evenings are great fun, and very popular.
7 1/2 out of 10 with a bonus for the monthly homage to the great drink: 8 out of 10.
Website located here.
Aqua Bar – Four Seasons Bangkok
by The Mixer on Jan.01, 2011, under Bangkok, East Asia, Thailand
OMG this place serves just the nicest dry gin Martinis!
Well made and served with a flourish.
We were pleasanty surprised to discover also that you can choose from the menus of all the other in-house restaurants if you decide to stay on and eat, which is a distinct possibility if you have that second martini.
9 our of 10.
Website is located here.
Vertigo & Moon Bar, Banyan Tree, Bangkok
by The Mixer on Mar.06, 2010, under Bangkok, East Asia, Thailand
We have visited this place several times since 2005, and sadly it is trading heavily on its admittedly stunning views. 61 floors up with a small waist-height railing (then straight down!!), it is not for those afraid of heights. Martinis are a solid 7/10, but mixing could be a little more responsive to requests given the stratospheric prices. The atmoshphere is somewhat deflated by lax enforcement of dress rules (despite the signs), and the irritating presence on our last visit of several loud western males posing with escorts. That said, it is worth a visit around sunset simply for the experience.
Website link is here.
The Tunnel Bar, Hanoi
by The Mixer on Mar.06, 2010, under East Asia, Hanoi, Vietnam
This new bar is a small but stylish spot near Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi. Bog-standard martinis are not much to rave about, Gordons-gin based things good for a ho-hum experience only. The good news however is that they mix to order, with Bombay Sapphire (or anything better if they have it), and as dry as you like. They now remember my face and mixing starts as soon as I walk in. These are bloody good, probably the best in Hanoi. Top marks!
Weblink here.
Recipes
by The Mixer on Nov.08, 2009, under Recipes
This is definitely walking into the briar-patch. There will always be those that disagree, and those that prefer certain variants over others. We are ecumenical in our tastes, but will post only two recipes here as follows:
The Dry Gin Martini
1 x pre-chilled cocktail glass
- 55ml Gin (Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire)
- 15ml Dry (bianco) Vermouth
- Pour into mixer with 6 ice cubes
- Stir or shake as desired (a major source of debate!!)
- Strain into the cocktail glass
- Add garnish of 1 green olive, or twist of lemon peel (squeezing lemon peel into glass first)
The Vesper (007) Martini
1 x pre-chilled cocktail glass
- 90ml Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire gin,
- 30ml 100-proof Russian grain vodka,
- 15ml Kina Lillet (Lillet Blanc). If not available, 20ml Dry Vermouth with a pinch of quinine powder or 1-2 dashes Angostura bitters.
- Shake or stir in a mixer with plenty of cracked ice
- Strain into the glass and add a twist of lemon peel (squeezing lemon peel into glass first)
Sticky Fingers, Vientiane, Laos
by The Mixer on Nov.07, 2009, under East Asia, Laos, Vientiane
I visited this great venue in early September 2009, and it stood out from the crowd with its bold innovation in martini cocktails. The Tom Yum Martini was a tasty dram prepared with red chilli, and went down a treat. So much so that a second sample was required for verification purposes.
The menu was well thought out, and the bread was excellent. A known hangout for expats and locals in the know. Definitely a must following a cold Beer Lao on the Mekong at sunset.
Informative link here
Savan Vegas, Savannakhet, Laos
by The Mixer on Nov.02, 2009, under East Asia, Laos, Savannakhet
This place has to be seen to be believed. Entirely unexpected, including the concrete elephant motif and excessively large driveway and covered entrance. After a night out, I returned to the bar amid the gaming tables. The dry gin martinis needed help so I spoke out. God bless the management but they took me at my word, and there ensued a civilised discussion about the finer points of mixing, garnishes, cooling of glasses, and cost structures. Several examples were prepared for free and tasted, with the final actually working out pretty well. I was genuinely impressed by the dedication to the great drink, and they went from a 3 out of 10 to a 6 out of 10 for sheer effort. Great work guys.
Website located here.
Ibiza Bar & Restaurant, Hanoi, Vietnam
by The Mixer on Nov.01, 2009, under East Asia, Hanoi, Vietnam
Great surroundings, good food, and a bloody marvellous Grey Goose Vodka martini, stirred. Served iced-cold with black Spanish olives, it went down a treat before my duck breast.
Review site reference here.
Naughty Nuris, Ubud, Bali
by The Mixer on Nov.01, 2009, under Bali, East Asia, Indonesia
Arguably the best dry Gin Martinis in South-East Asia, Naughty Nuris is an unassuming place located just outside Ubud on Bali, Indonesia. They don’t claim to be a 5-star establishment, with pretty basic warung-style decor specialising in BBQ ribs and martinis .
Martinis are very generous, extremely “dry” (verging on Churchillian in our view), and served with a flourish. Definitely not to be missed.
Website here.
