Forest

another big money choice is the nearby Marc Veyrat restaurant, which will also break the bank. But, i just looked at his website & noticed there is an 'activity' listed, called "Cafe Bio" in Annecy - it doesn't have any specific information on it, but it could be interesting. (and 'cafe' makes me think that it's not as expensive as La Maison de Marc Veyrat.)

Ptipois - indeed, good idea, thanks! I had read about the cocktails there in a magzine article several months ago and put it on my mental list of places to visit (which is not as reliable as my written list of places to visit). I've heard a few good things about la famille as a restaurant - but never been there - does it have a bar area where you can just order drinks? If so, that will probably be my next stop!

Murano 3, Boulevard du Temple, 75003 (note: in a few websites the address is listed as 13 – but that’s a typo online, not mine – it is number 3) When a drinks menu lists regular old Johnny Walker at 16 Euros a shot, you already know you’re paying in big part for atmosphere in addition to the booze. And, the Murano does deliver atmosphere. You walk into open, bright lobby with spacey, modern chairs and a decorative (yet functional) ‘fireplace’ that runs the entire length of one wall. This first seating area seems a bit sterile, but still modern and hip. Passing into the bar proper area, it’s dimmer, but colorful and modern with flashy videos playing on the wall behind the bar. A few reviews I read told me that this is where the beautiful people drink. Apparently, that means the beautiful people with cash, because the drinks are, on average, 20 Euros. Here, I had no qualms ordering my martini exactly to specification. Their house gin is Bombay Sapphire, which I didn’t bother changing, since I haven’t changed from the house on any of my other martini excursions (and somehow I like that consistency). It came, just as I ordered, nice a cold and with an olive. But, for 19 Euros, I pretty much expected it to come just as I had ordered. My fellow drinkers had a couple of froufy fruity drinks. I don’t remember the names, but they were basically hyped up fruit juice with lots of fancy cut and splayed fruits and accessories. They also brought a small selection of upscale munchies – this is not a peanuts-in-a-ramekin bar – you get little dips and pizza-like bites. The service was top notch. I was talking to the waiter about martinis, telling him I was on a quest for good ones. His first question: “have you been to the experimental cocktail club?” (So far this still remains my top choice for an excellent price/quality value) I can be a sucker for cute little gimmicky things – like their bloody mary ‘degustation’, which is three small bloody marys made with red, green and yellow(?) tomato juice. I probably would have tried that for my next drink(s), but neither of my drinking partners wanted to stay for the usual second round. Even with the uber-chic ambience, they didn’t feel like the price was worth the experience. And, personally, while I don’t have a problem with paying a little more for the whole package, the Murano is a little too out of the way for me and a little too expensive to trek all the way there for cocktails on a regular basis, even if they were nice. (I definitely second Felice’s comment above of “nice but expensive” which pretty much sums it up) But, if you’re a big vodka fan this might be your place as they specialize in it and have a really wide range.

wow...lots of good suggestions. I will be in Venice the week after next for four nights. One of the nights I will go to Cantina do Mori for cicchetti and another night I'm going to a restaurant I always go to there (that doesn't seem to have a name or address, but if I can get any better information on it this trip, I'll share it here). Now, for my other two nights, I'm trying to decide between the following: Alle Testiere Osteria La Zucca Anice Stellato (maybe the Met?) I was thinking da fiore, but think i have ruled that out after hearing some not so great reviews on the price/quality ratio. has anyone eaten at more than one of the above restaurants and have an opinion on which one to choose? Also, I will be with several colleagues. One of these nights I will probably go somewhere (the nicer/more upscale of the choices) alone or with one or two others. But, the other night it would be good if it were a restaurant that could hold a larger group of people (8-10). So, if you have any input on that much appreciated. as always...thanks for the input! And, finally, I am assuming I will need to reserve now (if it's not too late) for any of those that I want to get a large group in, correct?

ha ha...what didn't kill me, made me stronger! you know we'll be trying out a few of these places when you get here!

Second that. Colin and his team give a whle new meaning to the term cocktail, with the incredible fine tuning, the mastering of temperatures, the super-fresh ingredients, and the infinitely classy and personal service. ← It's definitely on my list...I'm just trying to convince some of the people who go with me that they want to spend 20 Euros on a cocktail...but I'll get there again and looking forward to it.

Follonica2, Manattans weren't on the drinks menu (there weren't any kind of classics on the drink menu - the martini listed was some version of a chocolate martini) But, I'm sure they can make you one as the bartender/owner was very accomodating. Also, when we were discussing the ryes and whiskey's he told me that he (or one of the partners?) focused on getting good whiskey's and ryes for classic cocktails (and I think he may even have mentioned the Manhattan) And, I agree, I love eating and drinking like a local...but sometimes I just want a good cocktail! (man cannot live on ricard and foie gras alone!)

Thanks PCL - I guess I'll take Cilantro off my list! (hmmm...doesn't sound like I'll be staying in the most promising of locations!) What about the markets and/or street vendors? Any suggestions? I followed markemorse's noted link above and it lead me to the KL Time Out featuring the Imbi Market, which looks interesting. I'll mainly be working when I'm there, so when I do get some time to explore food, I'd like to hit worthwhile places.

Just a little update to my request for information - i just looked on the map and will be staying near the Putrajaya International Convention Centre which doesn't appear to be exactly in KL. If anyone has any specific recommendations for that area (in addition to KL in general) I'd love to hear them. Thanks!

Just one question Forest, the last time I was at Harry's before Jan 1, 2008, with my pal the real Martini afficiando, the air was so smoky it was impossible to breathe. I assume now it's clear, but has any of its charm diminished, its charm being how decrepit and dissolute it was? ← I have to say it did, in fact, seem a little cleaner somehow than the last time I went. However, it was still packed with paraphernalia and bustling with a lot of charecter. What was your friend's verdict on the martinis?

I'm heading to Kuala Lumpur in a week and wondering if the above recommendations still stand? Having read the posts, I'm thinking of trying Cilantro - but is there something else, not mentioned above, that shouldn't be missed? Anything new and interesting? (or old an unmentioned?) thanks for any input!

Harry’s For most of my (drinking) life I didn’t think I liked gin. That was until I discovered it’s actually tonic that I don’t like. So, since then, I’ve been enjoying a good martini. However – even back when I wasn’t drinking gin – it always bothered me when someone asked if you want vodka or gin in response to a request for a martini. So, when the bartender at Harry’s asked me “vodka or gin” I had to remember that it’s my own personal semantics issue (things should mean what they are supposed to mean!) and a reflection of what patrons order that made him ask and not necessarily his skill as a bartender. Come to think of it, I probably could have done better at Harry’s than I did. I sat there and watched him make the martini – chilling the glass with ice, stirring the ingredients – and thinking “gee, I wish he would have put more than a couple of drops of vermouth in that pitcher of Beefeater” (when what I should have done is just asked him to add more – why I didn’t, I don’t know – it had been a long day). He topped it off with a lemon twist. The martini was good, and he seemed to know what he was doing – I just should have been more assertive about what I wanted. The others arrived and we followed with a round of (what else at Harry’s?) bloody marys. The bloody mary’s are good – I prefer mine a bit spicier (again easily rectified by just asking). My fellow drinkers really liked them, but bemoaned the lack of “stuff” in them (celery, etc) and a neighbor complained that it had too much of the “brown stuff” (Worcestershire, I imagine?) Again, like le Fumoir, this is a bar that is equipped to make what you want and can put out a good cocktail. But, again, this one didn’t impress me from a cocktail perspective as much as the Experimental (where you get the impression that the person behind the bar is not just willing, but interested in discussing the cocktail and its creation and the various ingredients to give you exactly what you want) But from a non-drink perspective, you can’t discount the history of Harry’s , the great space and the sheer popularity of the place for Bloody Mary’s. (although I’m not really sure if the bloody mary was really invented here or not…perhaps someone else has more information on that, but everything I find is conflicting) So, in short, I’d go back and enjoy a drink. At 12 Euros a cocktail, it’s fair – but not cheap.

Le Fumoir Everyone seems to love le Fumoir (6 rue de l’amiral Coligny, 75001). But, as my second try for Wednesday Night Cocktail Adventures, it didn’t knock out the Experimental Cocktail Club as my favorite so far. When I walked in on Wednesday, I remembered why everyone likes it so much – it’s got great atmosphere. There’s a big, welcoming bar greeting you as soon as you walk in and tables, booths and couchy-things scattered about. The restaurant area further back looks comfy, fun and smells good. If you get the nice spot with the red (fake leather?) sofa you can relax and feel like you’re in a place where you should get good cocktails and good conversation. You’ve already got a good start for cocktails in Paris when “a martini” on the drinks menu means a classic martini (with their 3 variations) instead of a glass of sweet vermouth over ice. (note: I’m not disparaging sweet vermouth over ice as a common French apero - but this search is about finding a typical gin/vermouth martini) While as I said, I don’t believe in testing my bartender and expecting him to know just what I want, I also don’t want to be that annoying jerk at crowded bar who is constantly telling him what to do. And (being happy hour!) the bar was crowded. So, I just ordered a standard martini. I was surprised when it arrived within minutes (making me wonder if it had been sitting at the bar already? Prepoured?) it was too crowded for such speedy service. The martini (served with olives) was pretty good – nice proportion of gin/vermouth (which was specified with their three classic martini choices) although not as chilled as I would like. I asked what gin they used – it was the house, which is Gordons. I followed my martini with an old fashioned. Then, (ignoring my two drink plan) followed that with a side car. However, the fact that I still felt pretty decent (read: sober) after three drinks, made me wonder how watered down the second & third drinks may have been. The old fashioned was good. But, the sidecar wasn’t really that great – lots of citrus mixer in it. (I drink a lot of sidecars…so the difference may not be so apparent to someone who doesn’t like them as much) But, considering that, I still enjoyed the cocktails there – especially at the 6.50 Euros happy hour price. For anyone who just generally likes cocktails (but isn’t a high maintenance cocktail aficionado) it’s a good spot to stop for a drink. Non-happy hour prices were about double, and I have a feeling that outside of the that time, you might get more of an opportunity to let the bartender make you exactly what you want (and they have the appropriate spirits and equipment to do so, so I wouldn’t write it off as a nice cocktail bar!) And, I have to say: what we got, was well-made, it’s just that they didn’t do it exactly as I would have. Also of note, the service was very good (they were helpful about moving chairs and tables around to accommodate us, answering questions, speedy orders) My fellow-testers ordered several different drinks as well, but the only thing I really noted was that the margarita was pretty decent and the Green Dancer (I think that was the name) was too minty for my taste. (and just for someone else’s perspective – besides mine - they all really enjoyed it)

Me too - and just think how many more places I will have tried by June!

Both disheartened by the dearth of local cocktail information and inspired by my interest in drinks, a few weeks back, I began my own search for the best cocktails in Paris with Wednesday night cocktail adventures. The plan was (is) to go to a new bar (reputed for good cocktails, of course) every Wednesday after work. There’s been discussion in the spirits and cocktails forum on what drink best judges a bartenders’ skills (with many good suggestions). But, for me, I decided my plan of attack would be to try a martini to start (to give me some sense of comparison) and then a different second cocktail – preferably the specialty of the house. And, in the event anyone else is interested, I’m reporting back with my findings. Experimental Cocktail Club For my first Wednesday Cocktail Adventure, I decided on the aptly named Experimental Cocktail Club (37 rue St Sauveur, 75002). I hadn’t heard anything about this place, and didn’t have high hopes, but I was immediately surprised. This small bar, with dark heavy curtains, low cushy chairs and sofas, has a lounge-y, relaxed feel. The menu features about 10 different specialty cocktails and a selection of whisk(e)ys, bourbons, and ryes (including some interesting looking Japanese whiskeys) As far as I could tell they do not serve beer or wine. I don’t really believe in testing bartenders’ ESP and expecting them to know exactly how I want my drink. So, when he began to ask questions about how I wanted my martini (which I already see as a plus – he’s not just going to throw something together for me) I explained exactly what I wanted: 1 part vermouth & 4 parts gin. I noticed that they had grapefruit bitters listed as an ingredient in another drink, so I asked for a drop or two of that as well. The martini was stirred, the glass was chilled and it was very nice, indeed. Another thing I especially appreciated was his avoiding an upsell on me. Their house gin is Plymouth (I believe – I’ll check my notes which are elsewhere and edit if that’s not correct) but I had asked for a step up from the house. After a bit of thought, he, instead, suggested that with the addition of the bitters the house would work better. (which leads me to believe he was putting some serious thought into how the drink would taste) My second drink was off the menu – a Chicago Fizz – and also very nice. Some other things that raise this bar in my estimation: They stock a variety of bitters. They have a selection of uncommon and interesting brands of spirits. When the bartender (who I later found out is also one of the three owners) couldn’t answer a question about some of their ryes listed, he made a point to get the answer during the evening and came over to give me the information before I left. Thus, my low expectations were completely surpassed. For the quality, service and careful preparation, I’d gladly go back. And, as a bonus, the cocktails were very reasonably priced by high end Parisian cocktail standards. (10 – 12 Euros) The bartender/owner said he doesn’t believe that there is another place in Paris that is putting as much conscious thought into their cocktails – with the exception of hotel bars where you are going to pay much more. (and, from my current experience, I’d agree with that…although future Wednesdays will tell) It’s worth noting that I was there early evening on a week night. After talking to the owner, I get the impression that the weekend nights turn into more of a loungey/hipster vibe and the crowd is less interested in high end cocktails than listening to the DJ while downing vodka crans. So, while for cocktail purposes I might avoid it at those times, the others who were with me are looking forward to checking it out on the weekend for the music and atmosphere. And, if I get some more energy tonight, I’ll post on my next two following this & happily take suggestions for next Wednesday’s adventure. (incidentally, if anyone in the France forum thinks these posts should be moved to spirits and cocktails, let me know – but for now I’m leaving them here since it’s specifically for Paris)

to follow up on the hippopotamus note, I believe the Cloche d'or is also open until 4am.

As a starting point, you might want to check the thread on restaurants in the seventh here. Of course, they're not all bistros, but it might give you some good ideas....

note: Spring may fill up especially quick in April (during your visit) because I believe they are closed the month of March, so there will likely be a backlog of diners waiting to get back in there and get their Spring fix! Another newish restaurant getting a lot of talk is La Bigarrade in the 17th (106 Rue Nollet) which would probably be worth a visit.

Or maybe you can look to decade-themed candy boxes, like these for inspiration.

Brownies? ...kind of goes along with the woodstock, groovy drug culture of the 60s.

There's an interesting article about 'Cocktail Master' Eben Freeman in one of the back issues of Food and Wine where both fat-washing and bacon infused bourbon are mentioned. (the article isn't exclusively about that, but interesting none the less)

only to clarify (not to steer this way off topic) but.... actually, I don't think it's an upside cappuccino - the difference between the two is the amount of milk and foam that's added to the espresso (more in a capp). I don't drink coffee...but I'm sure someone else can give you a more precise answer on the amount of milk for each.

I agree with Vserna - I picked up a bottle of the basil one while in London last weekend and wasn't blown away by it. It was good/fine...but I wouldn't make the effort to pick it up again next time I was there. (had dinner guests try it as well who felt about the same way)

Also Braden and Laura have Hidden Kitchen in Paris.

We'll be in South Africa in a few weeks - with one night in Johannesburg (with fellow eGulleteers Little Miss Foodie and Tall Drink of Water). Any recommendations for where to go and/or what to eat if there for just one night? We'll be staying in Melville, but will take suggestions for any area. I did a quick search for topics on Johannesburg - I didn't see a thread (which I found suprising) so if I'm missing it, feel free to direct me to it. Thanks!