XL COVER STORY

Ten cocktails to make you forget it's blazing hot outside

By Patrick Beach
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, June 18, 2008

In a shocking development, it's hot. Fortunately, Austin has a cadre of imaginative bartenders at the ready, poised to provide a brief, very necessary liquid oasis, a respite from the heat and humidity that make us all look and feel like we've just stepped out of a Jacuzzi. They give us strong medicine when we need it, a laugh, a cooling elixir. On these pages you'll find our top 10 picks for cool summer cocktails. How did we come up with them? Research, research, research, people. By which we mean, um, lots of hanging out in bars. It beat working.

If your favorite libation didn't make the hallowed list, we understand — few things are as likely to provoke a fist fight as debating what one chooses or does not choose to drink, or even what one calls that drink. I, for instance, am rather a fundamentalist when it comes to martinis. If it's not gin or vodka, vermouth and olives or a twist, it's not a martini, and I don't care what the glass looks like. Fruit? Not a martini. Chocolate? Not a martini. Peppermint? Insert involuntary shudder here.

And but so anyway. This piece is merely a suggestion, the start of a conversation, and our picks are presented in no order whatsoever. Let us know your favorite and where best to get it and perhaps we'll do this again next year. We hear it might be hot then, too.

Avocado margarita

Curra's, 614 E. Oltorf St.

444-0012; www.currasgrill.com

In addition to killer cochinita pibil and tamales as big as your mama's forearm, Curra's south (they're still looking for a location to relocate the old Burnet Road spot) is famous for a drink that, when first mentioned, evokes this reaction: "A what margarita?" Co-owner Jorge Garcia and his brother Marco, who's currently introducing Nashvillians to the avocado margarita at the Curra's there, came up with the drink about a decade ago while they were fooling around with fresh fruit margaritas for the summertime. Well, they thought, avocado is a fruit...and the rest was cocktail history. Garcia blended one, looked at it and said, "Avocado is no good without cilantro." So a little bit of that goes in, too. Garcia says he had to give a few away before the thing caught on, but now Curra's is renowned for them. Thick, smooth and creamy like buttah, the drink is probably not for everybody, but life's too short not to try one.

Batini

Four Seasons Lobby Lounge,

98 San Jacinto Blvd.

478-4500; www.fourseasons.com/austin

The fundamentalist fire-and-brimstone-spewing Rev. Patrick would pronounce this NOT A MARTINI, but hey, it's the Four Seasons, nice joint, they can call it whatever they want. The so-called "official drink of Austin," cooked up by employees Amber Wright and the delightfully named Daisy Undercuffler, has, among other things, a base of Austin's own Tito's Handmade Vodka, puréed blackberries and fresh grapefruit juice, topped with a splash of champagne. It's the thing to have at the bar while waiting for the Mexican free-tails to do their nightly emergence. And if they happen to come out too late to see them, have another Batini and you won't care as much.

Paloma

Iron Cactus, 1001 Stonelake Blvd.

794-8778; www.ironcactus.com/north_austin.asp

Yeah, there's an Iron Cactus on Sixth Street but we like the relaxing patio at this one. We also like the tequila selection (Corzo, Don Eduardo and the like, properly served in snifters, center), the variety of margaritas and the Paloma , a simple but perfect blend of Cazadores Reposado tequila, grapefruit soda and fresh lime juice. The Cazadores Reposado (reposado meaning, roughly, "rested") is aged in new oak barrels rather than the more commonly used old bourbon barrels. This gives it just a suggestion of spice and smoke, offset nicely by the citrus. You also might try the tequila neat. It's goooood.

Lemon Drop

Satellite Bistro and Bar,

5900 Slaughter Lane

288-9994; www.satellitebistro.com

Yes, it's guffawed at as the drink to get your girlfriend drunk, the Big Wheel of adult beverages and a fair amount of work for the drink-slinger on the other side of the bar, yet sometimes you've just got to have one, and this casual-fine restaurant in the Circle C area is where to get it. Bartenders Carrie Logan and Karla Rogers will use whatever kind of vodka you want, triple sec or Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup and a pack of sugar — because the simple syrup just isn't enough sugar. Logan says she also makes a killer lime version. "It's like a limeade," she says. "With booze in it — the perfect limeade."

Mexican martini

Cedar Door, 201 Brazos St.

473-3712; www.cedar

dooraustin.com

Some pals and I came up with the genius idea that this old house, which has moved four times since 1975, should be placed permanently on wheels and relocated every night, the faithful clientele alerted to the new location via Instant Messenger or Twitter. But they've nailed down a long-term lease at Second and Brazos streets, and they're still pouring those fabled Mexican 'tinis, and I have less of a problem calling this a 'tini because at least it comes with olives. You can upgrade to pretty much whatever tequila you want, the lime juice is always fresh and every one is made by hand rather than pre-mixed. And you can take home a bottle of their mix (also available at Spec's and perhaps elsewhere) for your next barbecue. There's a limit of two, but most people don't even get that far. As general manager Stephanie Hughes says, "Usually I have one and I can't feel my nose."

Longhorn Iced Tea

219 West, 219 W. Fourth St.

474-2194; www.219west.com

Like the Lon-Guyland version but with tequila instead of gin (and light rum and vodka and triple sec) and lime and orange juice instead of Coke. "The name just gets people's attention," says general manager and co-owner Mike Weser. Especially Aggies. The traditional drink is just too sweet; this libation is pleasantly tart and great for sipping while enjoying those great mini burgers during happy hour. Be true to your school.

Classico mojito

Saba Blue Water Cafe, 208 W. Fourth St.

478-7222; sabacafe.com

Small plates, entrees, a hypnotizing aquarium behind the bar — what else could you want? How about a mojito from a Cuban recipe starting with Matusalem Rum 8, made in the Dominican Republic ever since some old cigar-chomper expelled its makers from Cuba in 1959. Bar manager Nate Wales says they make every one to order using a muddler to mash the lime, fresh mint and simple syrup — and, as the callous on his right index finger shows, he makes a ton of them. "A lot of bartenders feel it's too much effort," he says. "But hey, if they don't want to make one, that's fine. I know where you can get one." The result, according to my companion on a recent outing, is "the best mojito I've ever had." I'm compelled to agree.

Phaedra

Starlite, 407 Colorado St.

374-9012; starliteaustin.net

One of my favorite restaurants in town also has one of the city's most distinctive cocktails, dreamed up by bar manager Ben Craven. The Phaedra (the name of a character in Greek mythology, not to mention a 1974 Tangerine Dream album) has fresh kiwi, light rum, Lillet Blanc (a sweeter version of the apéritif wine from Bordeaux that used to be heavy on the quinine), kaffir lime simple syrup and a little dry vermouth. The dark kiwi seeds rest at the bottom of the glass, making this one almost too pretty to drink. Get over it. It's too good to just look at.

Sea cucumber

Qua, 213 W. Fourth St.

472-2782; quaaustin.com

You will have this, and you will have it the way bar manager Hans Paap makes it because it's incredible, and you will like it. It starts with Plymouth gin, which by law can be made only within the city walls of Plymouth, England, and, according to Paap, uses water from Roman aquifers. This factoid I find too intriguing to investigate. It's less boldly juniper-y than a lot of gins and the perfect base for this boldly inventive drink, to which he adds three chunks of fresh cucumber, simple syrup and tequila or sweet and sour mix. He muddles the cucumber in a mixing glass, adds the remaining ingredients, mixes in a shaker and strains, garnishing with a lemon twist and a mint leaf, smashing the latter between his palms dramatically to release the oils. (And, he allows, that little bit of showmanship helps with the tips.) The result is pleasantly light, subtly but surprisingly citrusy and unlike anything you've likely ever had. "We'll make, on a slow night, 18 or 20," Paap says. "A lot of people say it tastes like a spa."

Austinite

The Brown Bar,

710 Colorado St.

480-8330;

thebrownbar.com

The vibe is chill and classy, the marble bar top gently glowing, lit from below. Now then. Interested in drinking locally? Here you go. The proudly Austin-centric Austinite is simply a Tito's Handmade Vodka martini with Brown Bar's own jalapeño olives, jars of which you can buy to take home. The ice floating on top when first poured counteracts the heat in the olives. Simple, strong and you look painfully cool drinking it. Aren't we pleased with ourselves that we live here? Yes. Yes, we are.