Set 'Em Up
Modern martinis arrive in classic style or with sassy flavors and neon looks
By Margaret Sheridan, Senior Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 3/1/2004
They’re called martinis. But the only thing many of them share with the cocktails favored by James Bond and Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack is the stemmed glass.
The new style of martini rivals desserts in sweetness and calorie counts. Most are made with vodka, not gin, and forgo vermouth. Their popularity and the concurrent resurgence of cocktail culture over the past three to five years continue, sparked by introductions of flavored spirits and drink innovations that catch eyes with color and tease tastebuds.
The rage for “cocktails dressed in martini glasses”—so described by Dale DeGroff, New York City-based beverage expert and author of “The Craft of the Cocktail” (Dimensions, 2002)—has yet to peak, according to operators.
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Martinis are endlessly promotable. Interstate Hotels & Resorts, an Arlington, Va.-based hotel management company, recently launched “Decadent Martinis” in 38 of its 300 lodging properties. For many of the variations, inspiration came from desserts such as banana cream pie, flan, tiramisù and brownies.
At M-Bar in the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, where a staggering 250 variations are offered, martinis fall into five categories— sweet, fruity, tangy, after dinner, naughty but nice, and oddball.
“There’s no end to the creativity,’’ says Albert Mertz, resident hotel manager and director of food and beverage. “It’s similar to cooking. You take aged tequila or sake and mix it with a little orange-flavored spirits, juices or syrups, and come up with distinctive flavor profiles.’’
Imaginative bartenders and chefs combined with availability of unusual ingredients at Miami’s local markets account for the diversity and flavor range. But local color does not edge out tradition.
“Much of our business comes from international business travelers,’’ Mertz says. Guests from Asia, for example, are not familiar with the new martinis and are more likely to order classics.
Nouveaux notions
Vacationers at Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, Calif.,
are game to experiment with concoctions, says Stewart
Good. The
director of beverages at the park’s The Ahwahnee hotel—operated
by Buffalo, N.Y.-based contractor Delaware North Companies—doubled
martini sales two years ago when he revamped the cocktail program
with six to eight flavored renditions.
“They’re colorful, fun and appeal to younger people,” he says. “The classic looks dull sitting next to them.” During summer, the peak season, bartenders crank out 40 to 50 a day. Flavored versions outsell classics, 3 to 1. Guests pay $9 for a melon martini that costs $1 to make, Good says. Ingredients are one ounce citrus-flavored vodka, one-half ounce melon liqueur, sweet-and-sour mix and citrus-flavored soda.
Anton Airfood, a Washington, D.C.-based airport foodservice contractor, launched an expanded cocktail program in January at 50 of the 140 airport units it operates. It dedicates 30% of the beverage menu to martinis, up from 15% last year.
What Anton beverage managers call “nouveau martinis” are flavored and enriched with creams, syrups, purées, fruits and juices. Evocative names whet appetites of dessert-lovers. Presentation in distinctive 5-ounce Z-shaped stemmed glasses also sparks sales, says Mike Jones, vice president of corporate planning.
“Anton anticipates a 20% to 30% increase in the average beverage check through the new program. It will come through upselling and use of brand names on beverage menus,’’ Jones says. The program makes Anton competitive with casual-dining chains such as Ground Round Grill & Bar, Bennigan’s Irish American Grill & Tavern, Chili’s Grill & Bar and T.G.I. Friday’s. He credits those concepts with creating a beverage culture.
“When those customers come to airports, we want their business,’’ says Jones.
Right ratios
Not everyone wants to sip a vodka-laced sundae from a stemmed glass. The classic martini remains an icon and a benchmark for bartenders, according to Dale DeGroff, a New York City-based consultant, teacher and author. The veteran bartender’s tips:
Tray service
If everyone on the block is selling martinis, how does the new guy compete? At 3-month-old Viand Bar & Kitchen in Chicago, the $9 Special Martini Service arrives on a custom-designed silver tray with a shaker and one of 20 bowls or plates of nibbles. A martini’s flavor dictates the food. “The pairings with martinis help promote the chef and kitchen,’’ says Niall Freyne, vice president of food and beverage. Inspiration comes from popular menu items such as apple desserts, crème brûlée or chopped salads.
A dish of strawberries macerated in cherry-flavored brandy is served with the Bubbly Martini (vodka and champagne). Forks and a bowl of vermouth-marinated veggies accompany its Sapphire Salad Martini.
Eye-catching presentations also improve sales and tips, he says. When a martini is served at Viand’s 25-seat bar, more orders arrive within the hour for the same item. Bartenders don’t mind the extra fuss. Average gratuities are 20% to 25% for the Special Martini Service.
Identity game
What’s in a name? A shopping cart of ingredients. Some best sellers from the martini menu at M-Bar in the Mandarin Oriental, Miami:
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