The Buzzed Assassin is back again.  Now, where did the Assassin get to this time?  Well, friends, the truth of the matter is that I cannot tell you the whole truth.  But I will say this: from time to time, even the best of us must take a moment to return to basics, to refocus our energies and to go through the training necessary to keep our livers in fine, liquor-processing shape.  A well trained Assassin is an effective Assassin, one willing and able to take on the burden of filtering the bad Bloodys from the good.  Now, with that refocusing and retraining time past, the Assassin once again goes forth, ready to strike down cocktails at a moment’s notice.

For my return to the Tomato and her tomato, horseradish and vodka scene, I decided to brunch with a few friends at a location I had been meaning to try for a while: Plein Sud.  Since June 2010, Plein Sud has been ensconced in the ground floor of the Smyth Tribeca, adding a French brasserie dining option for guests of the Thompson Hotels’ Tribeca location and for those who happen to walk by the intersection of Chambers and West Broadway.  Possessing a farm-like rustic decor, the restaurant seemed bright and inviting when we first arrived, and the cheery staff seconded that feeling.  After being seated, the Assassin and his party were able to quickly peruse the brunch offerings, which ranged from standards (such as the steak and eggs variant that the Assassin ordered) to some not so standards (such as the Decadent Pancakes, which the Assassin will get to momentarily).  We made note of our food orders and proceeded to the cocktails.  I quickly noted the presence of a Bloody Mary, a Bull Shot and a Bloody Bull.  The Bloody Bull, for those not in the know, is like the child of a Bloody Mary and Bull Shot.  Beef bouillon is derived from its Shot father, offering an extra savory ingredient to the tomato juice of its Mary mother.  The vodka and spicy ingredients, such as pepper or horseradish, are common to both and therefore round out the flavors of a Bloody Bull.  For those who would like to experience such a drink, take a look at the Assassin’s review of the Bloody Bull at Five Points.  But for this review, the Assassin decided to go with the classic Bloody Mary.

After a few minutes, my Mary arrived, and she was a rather classic beauty.  With visible pieces of horseradish, flecks of pepper in a nice, red bloom of tomato juice and a simple lime and olive garnish held in place by a bamboo pick, this Bloody certainly looked the part.  But would she taste similarly?  A first taste showed the Assassin that the tomato juice, while good, was a bit flat and not as full as he had hoped.  The horseradish and pepper both added a nice spicy kick without being overpowering, and the balance of the cocktail was good, not allowing the vodka, the spice or the tomato to take over the palate.  Overall, this made for a good, but not overly impressive, introduction to the Assassin’s brunch experience.

Now about those Decadent Pancakes: if you are the type of person who enjoys a sweet brunch dish, like one of the Assassin’s brunch mates this day, you can certainly not go wrong with this dish.  Three pancakes, Nutella, Chantilly cream and maple syrup made for a very cake like experience when the Assassin tried one bite.  While he could see the appeal, it is not his brunch taste, and certainly not with a savory cocktail.  The Assassin instead opted for a good, but not great, steak accompanied by some well-made, fluffy eggs, hash brown style home fries and a nice side salad.

For a perfectly acceptable Bloody Mary experience to go with a perfectly acceptable brunch, the Buzzed Assassin gives Plein Sud 3 Celery Stalks.

Plein Sud
85 West Broadway,  New York, New York 10007.  T: (212) 204-5555.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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It is not often that someone welcomes news of an assassin, but the readers of this blog know better.  The Assassin returns!  And this time, he is in Tribeca, specifically, Bubby’s, which has been a mainstay of Tribeca for over twenty years (they also have an outpost in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn, though maybe not for long).

Originally cooked up as a pie baking outfit, Bubby’s styles itself as a defender of the American table, and it certainly lives up to that name.  With a menu that features mostly comfort food dishes associated with all parts of the country, patrons are served in a dining area that feels rather like a simple country-style restaurant run by your aunt or grandmother, if they could afford the ridick market rents of lower Manhattan, that is.  Another divergence from the simple family-run formula is the hours.  Bubby’s is a (mostly) 24/7 operation, one that likely benefits from the hunger and cravings generated by the nearby nightlife locales (it is closed on non-holiday Mondays).  The combination of the menu and hours makes it much like another Assassin reviewed location.

Upon walking in for brunch, my companion and I were asked to wait for a table.  As you might expect of a successful restaurant in a neighborhood like Tribeca, there was a crowd.  The hostess cheerfully asked if we would like space at the bar (which we declined) and pointed out the pies on display, which I will note looked quite delicious.  Observing from a distance, the staff seemed very efficient in managing the conflicting duties of keeping diners satisfied with their food and drink while keeping them “moving” through their meal without seeming pushy.  As a result, we were seated after only about a 10 minute wait.  Walking into the dining area, my nose was greeted with a wonderful blend of scents, a blend that promised a good meal (not to mention, a blend that reminded my stomach just how long it was since it had last had a meal).

But as my stomach craved food, my liver craved Bloody!  Bubby’s entry into this field is the Spicy Bloody Mary, and I was eager to test their efforts.  My anticipation did not last long, as the waiter came with the Bloody after only about 5 minutes.  The presentation was most definitely unique.  I did not expect the Mason jar container; though I have had cocktails in such containers, they have always been with cocktails whose name always betrayed a link to, shall we say, less urbane environments (this is by no means a knock against those establishments, I have had some of the best times of my life in places like those).  I can also state that this is the first time that I have had a Bloody with a large slice of lemon floating on the surface of the cocktail, complete with flecks of freshly ground black pepper.  Add to that a thick celery stalk and an old style soda straw, and the most unique presentation of a Bloody that I have ever experienced was complete.  That said, my drunken adventures have proven to me time and time again that you should never judge a cocktail by its container.  I dove in and was greeted with a good, but not overpowering, peppery kick, particularly towards the back of my throat.  This was not surprising, given the freshly ground pepper I spoke of earlier, floating on its citrusy raft, but it was a nice welcome to the beverage.  While it was not as visible as I have experienced in other locations, the horseradish added a bit of savory taste along with its own heat.  The tomato juice used was good, though it was clear that it was a standard can supplied variety.  The vodka was detectable, but not too up front, as it is in all good Bloodys.  Overall the flavors mixed well with each other, creating a well-rounded and balanced experience that left me with a satisfied smile on my face.  It was a good introduction into the brunch experience at Bubby’s and one that left me prepared to take on the delicious pancakes there (pancakes that were almost as large as the table they were served on, and about as thick as the armor on a battleship.)

For a savory, well-balanced, Mason jar clad Bloody Mary with a nice kick, Bubby’s Tribeca earns 3.5 Celery Stalks.

Bubby’s
120 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10013. T: (212) 219-0666.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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Welcome back, loyal Drunken Tomato fans!  Coming to see what adventures your friendly neighborhood Assassin has gotten himself into?  Well, look no further, as the Assassin’s journey recently went through Chelsea to discover the well-known Seventh Avenue spot, Cafeteria.

Opening in the heady days that marked the end of the 20th century, Cafeteria has become a veritable landmark in Chelsea.  For neighborhood residents, it is a good, if somewhat crowded, default; a place to go if you can’t make up your mind about dinner or if you just want to go to a place that is a “known quantity.”  With a menu well stocked in comfort-food-with-a-twist items, it can always provide a good meal.  And when I say always, I mean always: this is a 24/7 spot, ladies and gentlemen, a place where you can get a cocktail, a bite to eat, decompress after work, or refuel after a frenetic night of clubbing or bar hopping.

Having completed some business in the area, my companion and I decided to swing by for brunch.  Expecting that it would be fairly crowded, I was not surprised when the host told us there was a wait.  Thankfully, it was a short one, as my stomach yearned for delicious brunch items, and my liver yearned for its favorite savory item of destruction.  When given a menu, I noticed that Cafeteria had its own special Bloody, named the Inferno Bloody Mary.  Featuring a house infused jalapeño vodka and a proprietary bloody mix, I found myself mentally preparing to have my tongue a bit singed.  When presented with my beverage, I noted the small bits of horseradish suspended in the liquid matrix.  It appeared that this particular concoction used a smaller amount of horseradish, though more finely chopped than I usually find.  While this slightly allayed my spice burn fears, I was still concerned about the effects of the infused jalapeño.

Upon my first sip, however, I found the Inferno Bloody Mary to be, well, lacking an inferno.  While it certainly had a bit of a kick, it was not a hard kick, a spiciness that was pretty average when compared to some of the other Bloodys I have had.  The infused jalapeño in the vodka was barely detectable, more like a light taste, or the memory of a taste.  The house made bloody mix was also good, though lacking in the flavors and contrast that fresher juices might have been able to draw out of the cocktail (the use of fresh juices made a similarly peppery cocktail at Sons of Essex much better, taking what could have been average and making it above average).  The overall balance of the drink was good, with no individual ingredient taking over, but rather working in complement to create a decent cocktail. Overall, a good, if not particularly exemplary, bloody.

For its Inferno Bloody Mary, Cafeteria earns itself 3 Celery Stalks 3.5 Celery Stalks.*

*UPDATE: We here at The Drunken Tomato take our jobs very seriously.  And when we misunderstand or make a mistake, we own it.  We have been informed that the “Inferno” in Inferno Bloody Mary does not refer to the spice level of the cocktail.  Rather, it refers to a very unique and interesting act that occurs before you ever even get your glass.  The “Inferno” in Inferno Bloody Mary refers to this:

Yes, it is a flambé jalapeño fire show in your bloody mary glass, a process that adds just a hint of something special.  So make sure you get to experience this inferno first hand by bellying up to the bar for a peek at this entertaining cocktail making show.

Cafeteria
119 7th Avenue,  New York, New York 10010.  T: (212) 414-1717.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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The Buzzed Assassin continues his stalking adventures through New York’s finest (and not so finest) drinking establishments.  My recent brunch-time travels brought me back to the Lower East Side, which, for decades at the beginning of the 20th century, was the destination of immigrant European and Jewish workers and their families, bound for the tenements in the area.  For decades after that, it was the home of a large number of Latinos, mainly Puerto Ricans.  This historical background is important as it influences and informs the varied selections at Sons of Essex, found in the heart of the LES on Essex Street between Rivington and Stanton.  Having opened in the fall of 2011, Sons of Essex is a mix of many different things: a combination bar, lounge, deli, restaurant, townhall, etc.  As mentioned above, both its food and cocktail menus contain items that reflect the melting pot nature of the LES.  The dinner menu features Manischewitz braised short ribs alongside Loisaida Skirt Steak.  The brunch menu includes items such as Loisaida Steak Huevos, as well as Eggs Benedictowitz, and features brunch cocktails such as the Loisaida (a malt liquor based cocktail), a surprisingly loaded Sangria, and, of course, a Bloody Mary.

Looking at the cocktail menu, I was initially quite shocked by the description of the Bloody Mary’s ingredients.  To wit, this cocktail seemed to be laden with peppery ingredients: Absolut Peppar, Sriracha, fresh ground pepper and horseradish are all listed in addition to the usual tomato juice, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, celery salt, and Worcestershire sauce.  I thought that this might result in an extremely spicy cocktail, and I was worried.  Could it be that this version was so bad that, to cover its failings, it needed to burn the surface of my precious tongue?  However, this concern did not stop me from ordering the Bloody; do you see the things I do for you, our lovely readers?  When it arrived, I noticed that my cocktail definitely showed off the horseradish, with small pieces floating throughout the glass.  My concern heightened, but with some trepidation, I took a sip….

And, damn, was I pleasantly surprised.  The drink did have some kick to it, but nowhere near what one would expect considering the list of ingredients.  A little saltiness was also detectable, no doubt a result of the celery salt and Worcestershire. The saltiness and spiciness was very well complimented by the fresh lemon and lime juices, and the combination even made the canned tomato juice taste as fresh as if they had purchased the tomatoes that morning (possibly from the nearby Essex Street Market).  The vodka was detectable, being a fairly good pour.  Unfortunately, it was easy to tell that this was an Absolut vodka, a brand that I have always felt was barely above well quality (though the Drunken Tomato herself disagrees).  Despite this, the cocktail was very well balanced overall, a good addition to my history of liver destruction, and a great companion to the excellently seasoned steak and eggs I chose as my entree. Overall, the Bloody Mary at Sons of Essex earns itself three and a half stalks.

Sons of Essex
133 Essex Street, New York, New York 10002.  T: (212) 674-7100.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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Once again, the Buzzed Assassin, your helpful guide to the world of The Drunken Tomato, is at your service with another review!  Today’s travels brought me to Social Eatz, a self-billed Asian gastropub on East 53rd, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue.  I admit that Midtown East is not a neighborhood I go to very often.  In fact, this was my first visit in about a year and only my second visit in about two and a half years.  But, with its location in the middle of some of the busiest real estate on the island of Manhattan, 53rd between 2nd and 3rd Avenue represents a potential gold mine to those restaurateurs who feel brave enough to risk the high commercial rents.  I counted no less than seven different restaurants on this single street, catering to the mix of high powered business types, lower level corporate employees, diplomats, lost tourists and, of course, residents that plow along the asphalt looking for some flavorful food to ease their appetites.

Arriving for a Saturday brunch reservation, my companion and I were seated very quickly by the amiable hostess and soon began perusing the menu.  Social Eatz is a venture by Angelo Sosa, a well-known chef and author who has appeared on two cycles of Top Chef.  As our server so kindly explained, Sosa adds an Asian flair to the food served at Social Eatz and uses Korean cuisine as an inspiration for the entire brunch menu (including a good twist on the standard steak and eggs breakfast entree and the addition of kimchi home fries, which were absolutely amazing).  But while the brunch food items and most of the cocktails are Korean inspired, the Bloody Mary has some more Southeast Asian flair.  It was presented well, with a bamboo skewer bearing a pair of olives and a pair of unseeded longan fruits.  After a quick stirring with the provided garnish, I dived into this refreshing beverage.

It had a healthy pour of standard well vodka and the lemongrass calamansi infusion added a slight citrus flair.  The tomato juice was fairly standard, however an exotic addition in the form of a small amount of nam pla (a lightly fermented fish sauce of Thai origin) brought out additional flavor from the tomato juice.  With a slightly fresher tomato juice, I imagine this addition would be an absolute joy of heavenly proportions.  If you’re feeling brave, please try this at home.  The cocktail also had a small helping of freshly grated horseradish and a spicy kick that was mostly provided by a splash of the (in)famous sriracha (AKA rooster sauce).   While I prefer my Bloody to have its kick provided by horseradish, this version worked well with a level of spice that was not at all overpowering.  Tackling a mix that combines both the standard and the exotic has cursed many promising cocktails to the cemetery of the undrinkable, but at Social Eatz, the balance has been achieved.  The addition of a lemongrass calamansi infusion, nam pla, sriracha and longan fruit garnish make this imaginative Bloody Mary an Asian inspired treat.

For providing a good addition to the collection of Bloodys my liver has helped me process, I give Social Eatz 3 Celery Stalks.

Social Eatz
232 East 53rd Street,  New York, New York 10022.  T: (212) 207-3339.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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Welcome to another episode of the Assassin Goes Bloody!  This time, the Assassin visits the East Village location of Yerba Buena, a Pan-Latin restaurant that ranks well with the foodie set.  But you did not come to the Drunken Tomato for my thoughts on the food, did you?  I didn’t think so.

This particular day, my companion and I came to Yerba Buena for brunch.  We entered to a loud environment with Latin and Latin-inspired music melding together with conversation from the brunch crowd, all combining into what was a rather surprisingly inviting cacophony.  After a short wait, we were shown to a table and given our menus. As you might expect, Yerba Buena adds a Latin touch to its brunch selections, cocktails included.  They offer unlimited cocktails for the first hour of service for $13, meaning that this deal would likely be worth your money if you polish off at least two such cocktails in your first sixty minutes.  Choose among their YB Cocktail (aka Mojito), Margarita, Sangria, or, of course, the Bloody Mary.  With my being in service to the most Drunken of Tomatoes, I knew what my choice would be.

After another short wait, I was given my gorgeous scarlet liquid.  A quick look at the glass revealed what seemed to be a healthy dose of horseradish floating about.  Tasting my first sip, I experienced that now familiar first kick found in all horseradish-laden Bloody Marys.  Later sips did not possess as sharp of a kick, but rather, a good, if not great, horseradish flavor balanced among the other ingredients. The taste of a rather normal well vodka was slight, but present, reminding the imbiber of exactly what they are dealing with: unlimited cocktails.  The tomato juice also seemed a bit watered down, which unfortunately ended up washing out some of the other flavors. Although the balance of the ingredients was good in spite of this watering down, I could not help but note that it did take what could have been a great Bloody down a notch.

Despite a watered down tomato juice and a relatively standard vodka, the good horseradish dash and good attempt at balance along with the hour long unlimited cocktails provide Yerba Buena with a solid 3 Celery Stalks.

Post Script: Please note, while this fine Bloody is not listed on the brunch menu, it is not only offered by Yerba Buena, but also offered as part of the one hour unlimited cocktail deal.

Yerba Buena.
23 Avenue A,  New York, New York 10009.  T: (212) 529-2919.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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The Assassin is back again, and this time, I bring my special brand of alcohol-soaked chicanery back to the county of Kings.  After a while of not brunching in Brooklyn, I felt a need to reconnect with the home of Biggie, Jay-Z and the Beasties (RIP MCA).  So I made arrangements to brunch with a friend on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, home of yuppy families, bougie boutiques and a gym that used to be a bank.  Brunching here gave us the opportunity to visit a place that I had intended to hit up since it first opened almost a year ago: Blueprint.

Blueprint is another entry into the field of cocktail lounges that are a bit on the fancier side in terms of cocktails and environment.  This type of establishment can either be very good, thanks to great cocktails with fresh ingredients and a knowledgeable, friendly and unintimidating staff, or very bad, with rather ordinary cocktails that use off-the-shelf ingredients at fresh ingredient prices and a staff that feels as though fielding questions from the less knowledgeable is an insult.  The Assassin has been to many of the first and, unfortunately, a number of the second.  From the moment I walked in, however, I felt Blueprint was much more of the first type of establishment, which made me feel good about the possibility of experiencing a good bloody.  It also put my friend at ease, as she was not the kind of person who often visits fancy cocktail joints.

A quick look at the menu revealed a brunch-time lineup of three bloodys:  a Classic with horseradish infused vodka, a Swedish Bloody with their own house made aquavit and a Spicy Bloody Mary with chipotle tequila.  I was very tempted to try out the Swedish but decided for the purpose of providing a review closer to the baseline for the readers of this most amazing of blogs, I would order the Classic.  In a few short minutes, I was given what I must say was a beautifully presented bloody, perhaps the prettiest bloody I have ever personally seen.  But was this a cover for a substandard potent potable?  I went in for a taste to find out.

Upon that first sip, I was reassured that the quality of the drink was above average.  I immediately picked up the horseradish infusion, which added a good kick to the drink.  What I noticed about this kick was that it actually stuck around and was still as potent on the second and third sips as it was on the first.  While I very much liked this aspect of the drink, I felt that this lingering was something that might turn others off (such as The Drunken Tomato herself).  I had to conclude that perhaps the horseradish was left to infuse just a bit too long.

The taste of the alcohol was there as well, but it was a light taste.  I was concerned about whether this was because they used a very good vodka as its base or because the horseradish hid the heavier alcohol taste of a more substandard base. Then I caught the bartender using an above average vodka as his well vodka, and felt very reassured.

The kick provided by the infusion was well balanced by a fresh tasting tomato juice.  It may very well be that the juice came from a can, but whatever they did to it made me want to look around the bar to see if anyone was currently pressing the juice out of farm fresh tomatoes.

Overall, this was one of the better bloodys I’ve had in my brief career here with the Tomato.  It’s hard to ask for more in a bloody than fresh tasting juice, a good vodka base, and a good (if slightly over-infused) horseradish taste.  I give the Classic Bloody at Blueprint 4 Celery Stalks.

Blueprint.
196 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.  T: 718-622-6644.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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After a long absence, the Buzzed Assassin is here again.  Where have I been, you might wonder?  What bloody mary fueled exploits have I achieved in this absence?  Was I on a secret deep cover assignment, observing cocktails and straight spirits in shadowy surveillance in order to consume them in the most efficient ways possible?  I shall not say.  But as you know, such mystery is the way of the Assassin and his trusty side kick, the Liver!

My recent travels brought me to lower Manhattan yet again, where my companion and I decided to brunch at the Open Door, a self-anointed Irish gastropub in the Financial District.  While I had been to this bar before, I had never eaten there, nor had I tried their Bloody Mary.  So given my recent absence from The Drunken Tomato, and the fact that our united search for the best bloody mary EVAR was still ongoing, my companion and I decided to give it a shot.

We were greeted by a playlist of modern pop music, filled with more Taylor Swift and Pink than any brunch playlist I’ve heard in the higher than I care to admit number of brunches I’ve been to in my life.  We were also greeted by an authentic Irish waitress (really, an actual waitress from Ireland), and seated quickly.  After perusing the food menu, I got down to our beautiful, bloody business.

The only Mary listed on the menu was a classic Bloody, which as it turns out, was more tomato forward than just about any Bloody I have had to date.  The upfront tomato flavor, however, did not overwhelm the rest of the drink since it was also accompanied by a decent spiciness.  Horseradish was visible, but not overly abundant, as you can see in the picture above, and the vodka kick was detectable, but not overpowering.  But while this Bloody was fairly well balanced, it was also not particularly flavorful, a consequence, I feel, of the use of standard well vodka, standard canned tomato juice and a rather average bottled horseradish.  So overall, there was really nothing spectacular about it.  Nothing bad, mind you, but nothing great.  The Bloody Mary worked well as a compliment to our tasty brunch entrees (with rather large portions of food, the Open Door is definitely a good value for your brunch dollar), but I feel that this Bloody would work better as an introductory Bloody Mary for the less experienced.  In other words, it would leave your rabid Bloody Mary fans wanting much, much more.

For a well-balanced, if not spectacular, Bloody, the Open Door gets three celery stalks.

Open Door Gastropub.
110 John Street  New York, New York 10038.  P: (212) 608-0200.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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This is your friendly neighborhood Buzzed Assassin reporting in on my recent adventures (misadventures?) at the Stone Street Tavern.  Arriving just in time for Sunday brunch, I delighted in being just in time for more adventures in the Bloody Mary badlands of a place known as Stone Street.  Now Stone Street, for those not in the know, is a pedestrian only street lined with restaurants, cafes and bars in the Financial District of lower Manhattan.  A favorite among i-bankers, analysts, consultants, lawyers and staff that work in the area, it manages to be a nice place in spite of, well, all the i-bankers.  And just as a side note for all you curious types, if you’re really lucky, on Thursday evenings in the spring and summer, you can witness one of nature’s most beautiful scenes: the descent of a tribe of majestic hunters, with sprayed-on outfits, bleached hair and teeth, heels higher than the laws of physics really should allow and only one goal (and only one prey) in mind, wealthy financial types to snag, score and turn into delightfully sweet sugar daddies.  Quite breathtaking it is, and even more so when you mentally narrate the exchange with the voice of Sir David Attenborough.  But anyway…

So how to rate the effort?  I feel that perhaps I have been spoiled in that the Drunken Tomato herself has been my guide in the Bloody Mary world.  She has noted my relative inexperience here and has guided me to places that would treat me well, serving good efforts that allow me to truly understand what a great drink the Bloody is.  However, my admittedly short history as a Bloody Mary taster/student/critic notwithstanding, this is not the Assassin’s first time around the spirits block.  In the wide world of cocktails, there are those that are meant to be sublime experiences, and there are those that are meant to hit you in the mouth like an Anderson Silva elbow strike. Most cocktails lie between these two extremes.  I see the typical Bloody as leaning towards the stronger side, as you might expect, with its strong ingredients.  But it should have a taste that properly balances the tomato, the spiciness and the vodka, allowing each to give your palate a good hit without being unbalanced.  Stone Street Tavern’s effort, however, was just plain weak.  It could have been worse, but that is hardly high praise.  So, in the end, was the two for one deal worth it? To put it in perspective, for my free cocktail, I got a mimosa.

For their Bloody Mary effort, Stone Street Tavern gets Two Celery Stalks.

  Stone Street Tavern.  52 Stone Street,  New York City, NY 10004.  P: (212) 785-5658.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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This is the Buzzed Assassin reporting in.  My most recent foray into the world of Bloody Marys brought me to Five Points, a well respected and reviewed restaurant in the NoHo NYU area of the City.  I arrived with the Tomato and, as we waited for our third, The French Girl (a close friend of the Assassin who was being inducted into the world of Bloody Mary focused brunches), I noted that this place was packed. And I mean to the brim.  I could barely hear the pop music playing over the bustling buzz of the restaurant, an observation that initially filled me with a bit of concern.  I have noted in the past that sometimes, when a place gets popular, it can indolently rest on its laurels, and as a result, the quality of offerings suffer.  At Five Points, both the crowd and the music seemed to imply that the hype would not be lived up to.  But since I had read that the Bloodys were above average, I was still hoping for a good libation experience.

After a few minutes, The French Girl arrived, and we were directed to our seats.  I was glad that we made our brunch reservation with OpenTable, as it allowed us to be taken directly to our table without dealing with the forty minute wait that walk-ins were apparently being subjected to.  I was surprised when we were led to a nice sunlit table not far from the kitchen, a surprise that was complimented by the sudden change in music from throwaway pop singles to early 90s hip hop.  So as we perused the drinks menu, serenaded by the sounds of A Tribe Called Quest, we saw that Five Points had quite a selection of Marys.  While the Tomato went for the Rosemary Bloody (see the Tomato’s splendiferous review above), I decided to go with the Texas Bull, a twist on the Mary that used Tito’s Vodka (a Texas distilled vodka) and beef bouillon.  I was intrigued by what the bouillon might do to the overall flavor.  How would it stack up against the dashes of Worcestershire sauce classically found in your everyday Bloody?  I would soon find out.

Shortly after ordering, we received our drinks and proceeded to enjoy.  It was not difficult to pick up the savory kick that the bouillon added to the overall mix.  I was concerned that maybe we had a situation of a Mary being completely defined by one flavor, a sad state of affairs too often present in the current State of the Bloody Mary Union.  However, mixing the Mary definitely helped the overall balance.  The tomato juice flavor came out more, which helped balance the horseradish, though there was only a decent amount of spiciness despite the fact that horseradish was visible.  A good vodka pour also helped the overall balance.  However, even after mixing, the taste of beef bouillon was strong.  Strong like bull, even.  (Yes, I am aware of how horrid that joke is; if you wish, you may proceed to pelt me with cow pies and assorted Texas Longhorns merch.)

Overall, I feel that, while mixing did help, the bouillon was just a tad too strong and prevented me from really enjoying what should have been a nice Bloody twist, and not a Bloody that was simply holding its own against this particularly flavorful ingredient.  Also, I was a bit disappointed that it took my own swirling to better balance the flavors, as I feel a bartender should present an imbiber with his/her own best efforts.  But I will cut them a bit of slack and chalk this up to their being busy with what had to be a large tonnage of orders from the demanding brunch crowd.  While I really wanted to give this effort a better rating, I can only give the Five Points Texas Bull 3 celery stalks.

 Five Points.  31 Great Jones St.,  New York, New York 10012-1178.  P: (212) 253-5700.

About The Buzzed Assassin

You think you see motion out of the corner of your eye, but by then it is too late. The cocktail glass is empty, and the Buzzed Assassin has struck again. Wherever there is a delicious cocktail or spirit to be had, the Buzzed Assassin lurks. From the diviest of dives to the cleanest and most well lit business lounge, no libation is safe when it is brought to his attention. Bloody Marys of the world beware, for the Drunken Tomato has taken a contract out on you, and where she points, the Assassin and his razor sharp and efficient liver will strike home. Always.

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