Free assorted nuts and salsa and chips? Yippeeee! Here is our table at Cooper's patio last week. Yes, it was still a little steamy outside, but for some reason even though it is still hot-hot-hot out the a/c inside restaurants seems to be getting unbearable already, so we went for it. This Park Rotana pub is becoming one of my favourite places to hang out, although I wouldn't suggest the martinis. Stick with beer and/or free bubbly for ladies Wednesday nights. No one can make a martini in Abu Dhabi anyway. I challenge you to show me a barman who cares. I just need to stop ordering them. First off, the waiter always takes off the minute you say "martini". I have never been asked the pertinent questions, ie, "gin or vodka", "dry or dirty", "olives or a twist".
This night I had to grab the *waiter* (thanks anonymous! yes, even editors need editors) to say "vodka", then stop him from leaving to say "dry" then stop him again to say "lemon". Par for the course. But it was good when it arrived, so I ordered a second one. I didn't think we would need the whole rigamarole again, so I stayed quiet. He brought me a gin martini, with olives. Sigh. I would have just had it, but I hate gin so I asked for it with vodka. Waiter brings vodka, with olives this time. I give up and go with olives. The first sip was so confusing it took me a moment to realise what was going on in that little cone-shaped glass. I kid you not, it also had white creme de cacao in it. By now I was the most high-maintenance bar patron ever, so I drank it. I drank a vodka martini with olives and a chocolatey liqueur. And you know what? Once I ate the olives, it wasn't half bad.
I'm still swearing off martinis in Abu Dhabi though.
3 comments:
"This night I had to grab the water to say "vodka", then stop him from leaving"
Methinks you meant waiter. ;-) Now we see why journalists have editors. Ha!
It's kind of like milk and chocolate milk.
A martini, by definition, is gin and dry vermouth. If you want a vodka martini, you should order a vodka martini.
I have to disagree Anon 2. At least in Canada, where I tended bar and served for years, a martini order is followed by questions: vodka or gin? straight up on the rocks? olives or lemons? EVEN dirty or dry?
Usually the martini drinker just answers them all before you have to ask.
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