Enjoy a cocktail and cigars at RHUMBAR in TheMirage.
smooth, slightlyherbal, andvery refreshing.
Goacoupleofflightsup, insideMandalayPlace, and
youenteranentirelydifferentworld— literally. Ifyou
lovevodka,Minus5 is theplace todrink it. Stroll inside
its lodge-likebarandyoufigureyou’re ina rustically
themeddrinkingspot.Workyourway into thenext
space, andyougetoutfittedwithawarmcoat,UGG
boots, and thermal gloves.Goone roomdeeperand
you’re insidean icywonderlandwhere the temperature
iskeptatminus5degreesCelsiusandeverything is
madeof ice:The tables, thebenches, astatueofElvis,
andaprovocativesculptureof awomanareall con-
structed from theslipperystuff.
Orderaglassof top-endJewel ofRussiavodkaat
Minus5and, aswithalldrinkshere, itwillbepresented
toyou inaglass that ismadeentirelyof ice (hold itwith
bothhands, lest it slip loose).Therearesome fruit-forti-
fiedcocktails,whichareprettygood, but, inmyopin-
ion, it’sadvisable todrink thebest stuffunadulterated.
And, ifyou’reabitof anexhibitionist, youcandrink
fromastraw that runs from top tobottomof theafore-
mentionedprovocative icesculptureof awomanas the
bartenderpours inastreamofvodka that races
throughherupper torsoanddirectly toyourmouth.
It’s fun, but hardly the sort of placewhereRat
Packerswouldbedrawn.Abetterexampleof that is
thebourbonbarat the restaurantSwitch inEncoreat
WynnLasVegas.
The idea there is todonew takeson
classiccocktails.Onegoodexample is the
Allegheny, abourbon-baseddrink
thatwas
born inKentuckyand rampedup inVegas,
completewithblackberry liqueur imported
fromFranceand threeperfectdropsof
lemonoil.Anotherone to check out at
Switch’s brown liquor bar isKentucky
Tea.Madewith single-barrel bourbon,
it’s an elevatedvariationon thesweet tea
that isaclassicSouthern refresher.Of
course, youcanalwaysgooldschool (albe-
it, ina totallyupscale sort ofway) and
simplysipaglassof theexcellentPappy
VanWinkle20-year-oldbourbon.
Mixologists atWynn, though, also
knowhow to keep it simple. One good
example from that school is the Indochine,
whichhas become a signature of Daniel
BouludBrasserie atWynn. Another one
to check out there is theBasil Gimlet. It
tastes slightly citrusy and is absolutely
refreshing.
Y
ou’d expect Boulud to serve quality cocktails.
Americanversions of Japanese steakhouses,
on the other hand, are not exactlyknown for refined
beverages. Head toBOASteakhouse, insideThe
ForumShops at Caesars Palace, andyoumay be
pleasantly surprised. The steakhouse—with jazz
on the sound system, red-filtered lighting, and
iconic views of the Strip— sells cocktails that are
smooth and refined.
Oneofmy favorites is theHendrick’s,which ismade
with thegin it’snamed for,muddled tangerine, lime
juice, andcucumber.Another is theDapperGent—con-
structedoutofGentlemanJackwhiskey, gingerale,
cherries, bloodorange, andadashofhomemadecinna-
monsyrup—which took twomonths torefine. (Itbegan
asanOldFashionedbeforeslowlyevolving into itscur-
rent form.)And ifyou’re thekindofpersonwho likes to
drinkhisdessert, checkout theGraceland, a liquor-
soaked formulation, includingCastrie’screamandMarie
Brizardbanana liqueur, that’s thickwith freshmuddled
bananasandcream. Iknow,notsomanly; but, trustme,
swallowyourprideand try it.Thisdrink isdelicious.
When it comes tochillingoutandenjoyingagood
cocktail,my favoritedrinkingspot in town isanalfres-
co tableatRHUMBAR inTheMirage. It’sagorgeous
sliverof space thatopensupontoasurprisepatio
whereagreat, eclecticmixofmusicplays from the
soundsystem.
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FALL 2009
