How to Order the Absolute Best Cocktail They Have no Matter What Bar You’re in
You’ve been there. Examining the drink menu, eyes glazed over, scouring the ingredients for familiar words that jump out.
Now, this can go one of two ways:
Scenario One:
You spot it. “The __________ Mule”. Or, “The __________ Margarita”.
“Oh, I like Mules/Margaritas,” you think to yourself, “Forget all this other scary stuff; I’m not spending $12+ on a drink that might suck. I’ll just go with that.” And it’s fine. It doesn’t suck. It’s actually not far from the same drink you’ve had a million times (or maybe it is the same drink you’ve had a million times), so it’s right up the alley that feels safe and comfortable.
And yet, you can’t help but wonder, “What if there’s something better?”
Scenario Two:
You’re feeling adventurous! The bartender finally runs up, opens their mouth to greet you, and you toss the menu aside, exclaiming, “Make me something good!”
“Cool, what do you like?” they reply.
“Something not too sweet,” you answer.
And so it begins. They make you their favorite cocktail on the list. It’s strong and herbaceous. But you wanted something light and citrusy! It definitely isn’t sweet, which is all you asked for, but you hate it. And this bartender sucks.
For the next round, you order the Mule.
So, how can you possibly branch out and try new drinks (expensive drinks) without potentially wasting your hard-earned scratch and losing all trust in your bartender?
The good news is that there’s no one-size-fits-all, “best” cocktail for everyone on any menu. If there was, menus would just have that one drink on them. The best cocktail menus aim to have something for every palate.
