Gaslamp Gal: A teeny bit on ‘tinis
no comments | It’s been one of those weeks and all I can think about is my weekend trip to Vegas. That, and what my first drink at the airport bar will be. Since you won’t be Viva-ing in Vegas with us, I thought I’d leave you with a few of my favorite local spots to get a martini, just in case you’ve had one of those weeks too. My all-time favorite is an extra dirty Ketel One martini, which you can get just about anywhere. My mom’s friend swears it is actually referred to as a “slutty” martini, but I’m skeptical people actually say that at a bar! Either way, the dirty is aggressive, and can lead to lost inhibitions, so I tend to sip sweeter tini’s like the lemondrop, bellinitini or French to keep in check.
The 60-plus martinis on the menu at Martinis Above Fourth are impressive. I sampled four. The best was the “Southern Belle,” made with Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka. Also up my alley was the “Cristina Monet,” a martini that is “as dirty as it gets.” And it’s named after a local drag queen - hello awesome back story!
I recently ran around Bird Rock and Pacific Beach with two girlfriends and we discovered the Smokey Martini at Beaumont’s in Bird Rock. This is the sort of drink you sip as a liquid dinner, not as an accompaniment to your actual dinner. It incorporates chipotle vodka and gorgonzola stuffed olives, which is pretty powerful.
One of my good friends actually has a martini named after her at the Oceanaire. It’s called the Trixie Tini. Comprised of orange vodka and raspberry liquor, it’s a girlie drink for sure, but tasty nonetheless. I like to grab one of these at the bar while I wait for my table to be ready, and maybe scarf one of their uh-may-zing crab cakes.
In a totally non-glamorous addition, I have to add Cheesecake Factory. It has this Strawberry Martini that is incredibly memorable, made with strawberry-infused vodka and served in a sugar-rimmed glass. It’s ridiculously easy to make infused vodkas at home, but there’s something about the Factory’s that is perfection.
Tags: Beaumont's in Bird Rock, Cheesecake Factory, Gaslamp Gal, Ketel One, Lauren Clifford, Martinis Above Fourth, Oceanaire, SDNN
