Behind the Bar

imbibing in a historic hotel lobby or eating baked ziti in a red leather booth at an old Italian restaurant, tunes by 1960s girl groups playing in the background.

Acknowledgements

So many people lent their time, their savvy and, in many cases, their recipes to this book, and I am indebted to them. To all the bartenders who generously shared their creations, particularly ms franky marshall and Julia Momose for whipping up delicious drinks specifically for this book, and the publicists who graciously answered my endless questions, I tip my hat to you.

To all the folks who lent their words, including the AvroKO team, Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry, Martin Brudnizki, Frank Caiafa, Ryan Chetiyawardana, Carlos Couturier, Alex Day, Meaghan Dorman, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Gabe Orta, Christy Pope, David Rockwell, Mike Ryan, Audrey Saunders, Chad Solomon and Elad Zvi, thank you for elevating this book with your industry expertise.

Without the help of bar whiz Dez O’Connell – one of the first friends I made in Budapest, fittingly over a Daiquiri – this book would not have been possible. He sourced ingredients, tested recipes and even lent one of his own to this collection, while offering smart suggestions throughout the journey, and for that I am grateful.

I would also like to toast the amazing Hardie Grant Books team, especially my editor, the sharp, patient Eila Purvis, as well as designer Claire Warner and illustrator Evi-O.Studio, who did a smashing job capturing the transporting magic and whimsy of hotel bars through their designs.

There are others who must be recognised, too: Molly Ahuja, without whom this book never would have seen the light of day; David Farley, Kayt Mathers and Maureen O’Hare, whose constant support added cheer to the more maddening days; Lisa Mendelson, for her inspiring encouragement; Zsófia Fischer and Krisztina Munkácsi, for getting me to the finish line with their wisdom and positivity; the bar staff at KOLLÁZS for planting that first glorious seed; Julie Besonen and David Bailey, for giving me fairy tale chances all those years ago; the late Bori Budaházi, for showing me how life should be lived; and, of course, Aaron Arrowsmith Taylor, for everything.

Index

1912 Museo Bar, The Westin Palace Madrid 1

36 Above Martini 1

A

Aberfeldy Fashion 1

Ace Hotel Portland 1, 2

The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, New York 1–2

The Amara Singapore 1

Amaro Montenegro: Spirit of Virtues 1

American Bar, The Savoy London 1

The American Bar, The Stafford London 1

Aperol: Spirit of Virtues 1

Apricot Sour 1

architecture 1–2

Artesian, The Langham London 1

Aspen Crud 1

Aviary Bar, The Hilton Kuala Lumpur 1

AvroKO 1

AYANA Resort and Spa, Bali 1

B

Bacchus Piano Lounge

Wedgewood Hotel Vancouver 1

Badrutt’s Palace St Moritz 1

Baker, Charles H. 1

The Bamboo Bar, The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok 1

Bar 228, Le Meurice Paris 1

Bar All’Aperto, Hotel Il Pellicano Porto Ercole 1

Bar am Steinplatz, Hotel am Steinplatz Berlin 1

Bar Hemingway, Ritz Paris 1

Bar Inglés, Country Club Lima Hotel 1

Bar Longhi, The Gritti Palace Venice 1

Beautiful, Amore, Gasp 1

Bellini 1

Belmond Copacabana Palace 1

Belmond Grand Hotel Europe St Petersburg 1

Bemelmans Bar, The Carlyle New York 1, 2

Bénédictine

Singapore Sling 1

Vieux Carré 1

berries: The Remedy 1

Billy the Kid 1

bitters, homemade: Aberfeldy Fashion 1

Black Angel’s Bar, Prague 1

Bloody Mary 1

The Bloomsbury London 1

Blu Bar on 36, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney 1

The Blue Bar, The Algonquin Hotel Times Square New York 1

Blue Moon 1

bourbon

Aspen Crud 1

Billy the Kid 1

Mint Julep 1

Moods of Love 1

Spirit of Virtues 1

boutique hotels 1–2

brandy: Jamaican Manhattan 1

Broken Shaker, Freehand hotels 1–2

Brudnizki, Martin 1, 2

Burj al Arab Jumeirah Dubai 1

Burj Royale 1

C

cachaça: Carioca Iced Tea 1

Calabrese, Salvatore 1

Calorosa 1

Calvados: The Serendipity 1

Campari: Jungle Bird 1

Capasso, Felice 1

Captain’s Bar, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong 1

Caravelle Saigon 1

Caribe Hilton San Juan 1

Carioca Iced Tea 1

The Carlyle New York 1, 2

Carousel Bar & Lounge, Hotel Monteleone New Orleans 1

Chambon, Alban 1

Champagne

Meurice Millennium 1

Passion Royale 1

The Chandelier, The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas 1–2

Charles H., Four Seasons Hotel Seoul 1, 2

chartreuse: Loisaida Avenue 1

Chateau Marmont 1

Chetiyawardana, Ryan (Mr Lyan) 1–2

Chicago Athletic Association Hotel 1

Çiragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul 1

Clarion Bedford Hotel San Francisco 1

The Club Bar & Cigar Lounge, The Oberoi New Delhi 1

Clyde Common, Ace Hotel Portland 1

cocktail menus 1–2

Cognac

Gilded Sultan’s Elixir Riff 1

Vieux Carré 1

Coleman, Ada 1, 2

Collins, David 1

Connaught Bar, The Connaught London 1

Copacabana Palace 1

The Coral Room, The Bloomsbury London 1

Cornflake Syrup: Blue Moon 1

The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas 1–2

Country Club Lima Hotel 1

Curaçao

Blue Moon 1

Mad Dog 1

Singapore Sling 1

D

Dandelyan, The Mondrian London 1

Danini, Paolo 1

Death & Co., The Ramble Hotel Denver 1

Delano South Beach Miami 1

Design Hotels 1

The Dewberry Charleston South Carolina 1

The Drake Hotel Toronto 1

The Driftwood Room, Portland Oregon 1

DUKES Bar, DUKES London 1

E

Eaton Hong Kong 1

Eichardt’s Bar, Eichardt’s Private Hotel Queenstown 1

Electric Lemon Restaurant, Equinox Hotel New York 1

Equinox Hotel New York 1

Esperanto 1

Exchange Bar, Sarova Stanley Nairobi 1

Experimental Cocktail Club Grand Pigalle 1

F

Fairmont Hotel San Francisco 1

Fairmont Royal York Hotel Toronto 1

Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth Montreal 1

Fifty Mills at Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City 1

Fleming, Ian 1

The Fleur Room, Moxy Chelsea Hotel New York 1

Four Seasons Hotel Budapest 1–2, 3

Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City 1

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul 1, 2

Fragrances, The Ritz-Carlton Berlin 1

Freehand Miami 1

G

George’s Bar, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel 1

Gilbert Scott, George 1–2

gin

Calorosa 1

Hanky Panky 1

‘Madame President’ 1

Mount Fuji Riff 1

My Heart Beets For You 1

Not For Everybody 1

Passion Fruit Gin Cocktail 1

QT G&T 1

Ramos Gin Fizz 1

Raspberry Calling 1

The Remedy 1

Rose Ginvino 1

Singapore Sling 1

White Mouse 1

Grand Pigalle 1

The Gritti Palace Venice 1

Guarino, Sam 1

H

Halcyon House Cabarita Beach 1

Halekulani, Hawaii 1

Hanky Panky 1

happy hour 1

The Hawthorne, Hotel Commonwealth Boston 1

The Hay-Adams Washington DC 1

Heissen, Arnd 1

Hilton Kuala Lumpur 1

The Hilton Sydney 1

The Hollywood Roosevelt Los Angeles 1

honey water: Raspberry Calling 1

Hotel am Steinplatz, Berlin 1

hotel bars 1–2, 3–4

lighting 1–2

menus 1–2

unique experiences 1–2

with views 1–2

Hotel Commonwealth Boston 1

Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo 1

Hotel der Russie Rome 1

Hotel du Cap–Eden-Roc Antibes 1

Hotel Habita Mexico City 1

Hotel Il Pellicano Porto Ercole 1

Hotel Jerome, Aspen Colorado 1

Hotel Metropole Brussels 1

Hotel Monteleone New Orleans 1

Hotel Muse 1

Hotel Nacional de Cuba 1

Hotel Nacional Riff 1

Hotel U Prince Prague 1

hotels 1–2

and historical events 1–2

luxury 1–2

and the performing arts 1

I

Imperial Hotel Tokyo 1

Intercontinental the Willard Washington DC