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When Constantin Alexander, director of beverage for Hakkasan Group, was in Honolulu a few months ago to help open Yauatcha at the International Market Place, I had the good fortune to sit with him and sample a few of the cocktails on the restaurant’s opening menu.
One was the Scandinavian Scarlet, with Krogstad aquavit, Thai basil, ginger, white balsamic vinegar, lemon, egg white and — wait for it — beet juice.
“Think of it as a healthy cocktail,” he said with a grin. “The beet juice makes it good for you.”
While I’ll gladly return to Yauatcha, beets aren’t among the vegetables I want to mix with alcohol ever again. When it comes to drinks made with red veggies, I’ll stick with the good old Bloody Mary.
American bartender Fernand Petiot is widely credited with developing the Bloody Mary in the early 1920s while working in Paris. He combined his knowledge of alcohol-free tomato juice “cocktails,” popular in the United States during Prohibition, with Russian vodka, which had just been introduced in France, to come up with his recipe, bringing it to New York’s St. Regis Hotel in 1934.
By the 1950s, the cocktail was popular from coast to coast, with most published recipes mixing vodka with tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and lemon. These few simple ingredients can be the basis of a Bloody Mary made from scratch at home.
In Hawaii the Bloody Mary remains a staple for visitors too timid (or wary of sugar) to order such Waikiki staples as the Mai Tai or Blue Hawaii. Many bars on Oahu avoid mass-produced mixes made with high-fructose corn syrup, instead creating mixes from scratch and using quality liquor, not basic well vodka.
These drinks represent the variety you’ll find when ordering a Bloody Mary around Honolulu. Can’t find one you like? Don’t be afraid to seek out a recipe and create your own mix at home.
A BLOODY GOOD VIEW
If I have the money and time to spend, I enjoy nothing more than pairing a quality cocktail with one of the priceless views of paradise available islandwide.
You don’t have to be a guest at the Turtle Bay Resort to grab a bar stool at The Point, steps from the ocean next to the hotel pool. The Bacon Basil Bloody Mary ($14) features a slab of candied bacon to go with a garnish of celery, stuffed olives and a lime wedge. The house mix features Sriracha, shoyu, wasabi, Tabasco and a pinch of pepper, but a generous pour of tomato juice and a full cup of ice to help dilute the drink effectively tones down the heat factor and allows the fresh basil to shine through.
Waikiki has lots of great options for a Bloody Mary, but one of my favorites is the Moana Surfrider, thanks to the hotel’s rich history and close proximity to Waikiki Beach. Standard cocktails are an affordable $12 here, and the Bloody Mary is a little more on the mild side, due to being shaken with a lot of ice. The result is a slightly more diluted cocktail, but I can look past that since it also makes the drink super cold.
The Moana is also home to the monthly Love of Libations cocktail series, which will focus on the Bloody Mary during its June 9 installment, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the veranda of Vintage 1901. Tickets are $30 and include three craft cocktails served with small bites; call 922-3111 or visit honoluluboxoffice.com/moana.
Technically not a Bloody Mary, the Fisherman’s Michelada ($18) at the Four Seasons Ko Olina’s Fish House is more like a ceviche with its mix of fresh seafood. Order it in combination with a standard Bloody Mary ($16) and ask for an extra pint glass so you can share. Once you’ve made some space by eating your way through part of the Michelada, fill the glass to the top with your Bloody Mary and you’re good to go — it’s the best of both worlds!
DRESS UP THAT DRINK
While some bars infuse their vodka or tweak the traditional Bloody Mary recipe to put an individual spin on the drink, others focus on garnishes. As a cocktail geared toward the brunch crowd (which often includes those still recovering from an indulgent night out), its hair-of-the-dog reputation pairs nicely with the concept of providing guests with a little snack to go with their liquor.
The best example of this in Honolulu right now is at Restaurant 604, located next to the Arizona Memorial. The owners here claim to serve “Hawaii’s Best” Bloody Mary ($12), and they make a pretty good case with a drink that’s boldly flavored and piled high with goodies. It’s topped with shrimp, celery, lime, pickled green bean, hot pepper, onion, olive and tomatoes, and there’s even a block of smoked meat and cheese hanging off the side.
I’m also a fan of the Puka’s Bloody Mary ($12) at Whole Foods Kahala, which uses locally produced Pau vodka and a mix made from what I assume are nothing but organic ingredients found inside the store. Even the celery garnish looked vibrant and fresh! The blistered jalapeno used to provide an extra kick, if desired, is a nice touch on this one as well.
Over at Pint + Jigger in McCully, it’s only fair to expect greatness from owner Dave Newman, and on the Bloody Mary front he definitely doesn’t disappoint. Three different styles are on the menu here, each with its own custom mix created in batches and allowed to marinate for a few days to let the flavors truly shine.
The standard Pint + Jigger Bloody ($11) is the most popular, thanks to its slightly more mild spice level and straightforward approach. For the Kim Chee Who! ($10), Newman infuses kim chee into his vodka before straining the liquid and using the leftovers as garnish. Sriracha, Tabasco and Tajin Mexican seasoning powder combine to make this one of the spicier Bloody Mary variations served in Honolulu.
The Captain Sig’s Bloody ($13.50) is served with a crab claw previously used in a brine that goes into the mix for this drink. A big slab of bacon is hit with a butane torch just before serving to ensure extra crispiness. A pickled green bean, olive and lime wedge complete the drink, which is rimmed with Old Bay seasoning.
Jason Genegabus has written about the local bar and drink scenes since 2001. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @honolulupulse or email jason@staradvertiser.com.
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