B-day at Big Bar

Not my b-day mind you - my pal Maureen's. Mo invited about 30 - 40 of her closest friends, not to mention her parental units that flew in from Houston, to what has to been one of NYC's smallest bar's: Big Bar.

Oh, the irony. And, needless to say, it was a jam-packed affair. Surprisingly enough though, our sole bartender kept things hoppin' with a smile on her face the entire time. (What is she on? I want some!) The drinks weren't anything to write home about, but she had a solid pour going.

The occassion brought about an opportunity to mingle and discuss the nature of hospitality and fine cocktailing.

Arguments were made for and against the barkeep in terms of service. As you can tell from my earlier comments, I was decidedly "for." You might not be getting your drink as fast as the bar down the street, but the lady was playing to a seriously full house and kept it pleasant at the same time.

But, there were no arguments about the cocktails - They lacked. The Margaritas were way sweet and fairly wimpy, and the "special cocktail" of blood orange and cherry juice with champagne and fresh berries just didn't work. The berries were yummy though. It was quickly determined that simpler drinks like a Gin & Tonic were the way to go.

Yet, considering it was Mo's birthday, and Mo is nothing if not a Texan gal who likes her Margs, I was disappointed that Big Bar couldn't deliver on that score. Just guess I'm gonna hafta ply her with the "real" deal sometime next week. It just won't be Mo's b-day celebration without quality Margs.

And, if you'd like to know what a "real" Margarita is in my book, here's the recipe from one of the masters, David "Drinkboy" Wondrich:

Margarita

2 ounces tequila
1 1/3 ounce Cointreau
2/3 ounce lime juice

Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Optional: You can prepare the cocktail glass by moistening the rim with lime juice, and then dipping it into coarse salt.