Martinis Around Town: Barbarella, ink., Baco Mercat

As I looked through recent iPhone snaps last night, I realized I have a nice overview of my eats and drinks of the last few weeks but nothing really in depth.  I also realized I have been drinking a lot of martinis. Ummm....since my favorite martini is basically vodka with more vodka and an olive snorkeling around at the bottom, I have consequently been drinking a lot of the hard stuff. Maybe my liver would appreciate a wine diet for awhile. At any rate.

Of the three recorded, we start with Barbarella. Barbarella is a nice establishment, the bartending style not incredibly modern. An approach, I'll be honest, I don't have any lack of appreciation for. This particular Ketel One martini was ice cold with ice chips from the small cubes and the shaking motion floating on top. I like the little chips, even if they do water down my vodka a bit. Note the run-of-the-mill pimiento olives, two please.

Next up, martini ink. style. Coupe glass strutting the mixology approach to bartending. I love a coupe, the way it sits non-precariously in your hand. My mom has these gorgeous cut crystal coupes she inherited from Auntie Marge (iirc), they are quite a bit larger than this and I love a martini in one of those. I admit it's partially the size. The coupes at ink. are more modest size-wise. Three olives, rested crosswise on a wooden toothpick, no ice chips at all. They use a rather massive cube that prevents chipping during shaking. The vodka in this was an obscure potato vodka from eastern Europe and it was delicious. My favorite martini of the three.

Jerry rigging it. Baco Mercat doesn't make martinis. I have a mouthful to say about this, but I shall self edit because their food was phenomenal, truly. They deserve every dollar of success because their service was even better than the food. Baco Mercat is really doing it right despite their bar policy. A large vodka on one giant rock with a side of lemon minus the lemon. I enjoyed every drop.