Martini cocktails, martini bars and martini culture
If you were the major of Lima, what would you do if you would find, in the middle of the city, a pyramid dated around the 5th Century, from the pre-Inca era? Of course, restore it and open it for tourists. And then? Open a top-class restaurant, with a nice bar aside, so that Martini …
The Boadas is a legendary place. It is said to be the oldest cocktail bar in Spain, and the place where Hemingway used to drink his mojitos when in the Catalan capital. Legends apart, the story is the following: the founder of this bar, Miguel Boadas, established it in 1933, bringing to Europe his bartendering …
Known as the best gin&tonic cocktail bar in Barcelona, the XIX Bar (also known as the Diecinueve Bar, as the name spells in Latin numbers) is an unmissable spot in the city. The choice of Gins is extraordinary (I counted more than 40!), that can be combined with four different tonics, to be served in …
Most probably the best Martini Bar in Indonesia, the Cafè Batavia is hosted in what is said to be the second  most ancient building in Jakarta, looking over the beautiful Kota square. The bar is simply marvellous, classy and wooden as it should be; the wals are covered with hundred of pictures (the owner collection) …
Ubud, the wonderful cultural heart of Bali, has many extremely nice bars and restaurants, many of  which serving Martinis, but to be fair the Bali bartenders tend to mistreat our cocktail:  they love to shake and shake and shake, and they often add some Dry Martini at the end  of the preparation... After trying many …
Continue reading "The Laughing Buddha Bar, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia"
Finding a good bar and - even more - a good Martini in Manila is a hard job, but somebody has to do it.  After a number of attempts, including a bar run only by dwarf (if you do not believe me check this out), I got to the White Moon Bar, placed in the Ocean …
In the very centre of Bologna lays Palazzo Bentivoglio, a massive 15th century building that used to house the ruling family of the city. In one corner of the palace, the private chapel of the Bentivoglio family is still there, with its high ceilings, original paintings and statues, and a very unique athmosphere. Now, what …
On the seventh floor of the Rinascente classic mall in Milano, from the terrace of this bar you get a unique view of the Duomo, feeling you could touch it. The ambience if chic and relaxed, the Martinis are pretty good, and can be followed by a good lunch on the terrace, by some sushi …
Continue reading "Rooftop Bar “La Rinascente”, Milano, Italy"
The Bombay Club is a New Orleans miracle: you walk 3 minutes away from the noisy, crowded, lively, colored and crazy Bourbon Street and you enter in a space of relax, soft music, and especially fantastic drinks. The website site says "A leather bound martini list contains over 100 different specialty martinis, each stirred—not shaken—to …
The Sazerac Bar, in the old and classy Roosvelt Hotel in New Orleans, is a historic bar where the famous (at least in New Orleans) Sazerac cocktail was invented. If you are into Martinis, I suggest you do not  get a Sazerac or you'll feel like being surrounded by sugar. The bar is very good, …
The Martini Hour 