Sweet? Salty? Bitter? The dealer's choice option on cocktail menus opens a Pandora's box of drink possibilities. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
“Make me anything.”
What does this mean, coming from a drinker? What does it mean to a bartender? How different are their perceptions of this request?
I’ve made this request many times, largely under the impression that — so long as the bar wasn’t crowded and busy at the time — it might be fun for the bartender to show off something they’re working on, or to highlight a favorite ingredient. Others ask for dealer’s choice because they don’t know where to start, or because they genuinely don’t care what gets pushed their way.
In both cases, it might be assumed that it’s easy for a bartender to oblige. But is it? Are we swiping aside all of the time, effort and creativity that a bar manager puts into crafting the perfect seasonal cocktail menu? I asked bar professionals from six establishments around the city to weigh in on dealer's choice.
Richmond magazine: How do you and your fellow bartenders handle "bartender's choice" requests?
Will Seidensticker [L’Opossum]: It depends on why they are asking for bartender’s choice. Are they asking because they want the experience of having someone entertain them, or can they simply not find anything that stands out to them on your cocktail list? Both are fine reasons, and the bar staff should be happy to play along. This only ever happens when I'm super busy, by the way, but that said, it's just part of bartending — and I think it's here to stay.
Lisa Ann Peters [The Pitts BBQ Joint]: Our bartenders don’t mind this question at all. They love concocting new drinks and come up with things weekly based on activities going on there.
Adan Velis [The Jungle Room]: Bartender's choice can be annoying or exciting and challenging, depending on the guest. For instance, when someone enters the Jungle for the first time and asks for a bartender's choice, when really the whole menu has been curated by the bartenders themselves, this can come off as lazy, or "precious." One should take the time to read the menu and use it as a guide to ask questions. We usually start with something on the menu with said guests.
Brandon Peck [The Jasper]: The bartender's choice definitely has its place in the cocktail bar, though our approach to it is a little different than most bars. At the Jasper, we don't really like making a drink up in the moment, instead relying on the last couple of years' worth of cocktail recipes we've already vetted, along with a good amount of classics, both new and old. When you're charging people for a nice drink, and the order is vague like this, you really need to deliver. It's for this reason that we don't really prefer to have our customers play guinea pig in our drink development.
Kevin Poehlmann [Saison]: I enjoy dealer's choice drinks because it allows me to make the exact drink that someone wants in that moment. If someone is able to describe what they want, then I can use my knowledge and skills to create the perfect drink that suits their individual taste. On the other side of things, if someone is feeling open-minded and just wants to try something new, it allows me to showcase unique ingredients, local products, or whatever else I'm excited about at that time.
Derek Nielsen [Blue Atlas]: We handle the bartender's choice depending on how busy we are at the moment. I will usually mix up a quick play on a classic cocktail, or if I have time, make something more intricate.
RM: Are there other bartenders at your bar or elsewhere who you'd recommend for a bartender's choice request? Who, and why?
Seidensticker: Absolutely. Erin Jameson and Beth Dixon (Salt and Acid), two heavy hitters in the industry, with many years of experience. Both of them are constantly creating delicious cocktails and they understand the importance of making your bar program complement the dinner menu.
Peters: Chrystal Reynolds. She loves a drink challenge and gets the most mentions in our reviews.
Peck: Personally, I tend to stick to the menu when I go out to drink, or order something I know the bar is comfortable making. That being said, I would feel more than comfortable in the hands of any of the talented staff at Alewife, Brenner Pass and Longoven.
Nielsen: Brianna is another bartender here at Blue Atlas who has tons of creativity and knowledge. She brings a different style to drink making, which is great to add to the cocktail diversity.
RM: Do you ask a follow-up question for a bartender's choice request — ie. "what liquor," "boozy or fruity," etc.?
Seidensticker: Always, always, always. A guest isn't always going to like the same flavors as me or each other. However, any time I can put a Jock Snifter in someone's hands, I do. They are delicious and beautiful.
Velis: We always ask what the guest likes, what they drink, their favorite type of cuisine or flavors. Once we establish a bit of a relationship and they like their first guided choice, we may opt to take them the opposite way, meaning taking them from their comfort zones and try something they may otherwise never venture towards, like a mezcal tiki drink, or a savory, vegetal rhum cocktail. Tiki and daiquiris bring images of big frozen unctuous drinks to many, so we like to really talk about the products, their origins, the thought and building process behind the cocktails, the layers of flavor. Educating and informing makes a better drinker, and giving them the language to express what they are looking for makes for a better relationship and challenges us to make better, more exciting and complex drinks.
Peck: You got it. I always ask for some direction, usually starting with whether they would like something more spirit-forward or something more refreshing — or something in between. I usually follow up by asking if there is anything they don't like, because there's nothing worse than showing up with a drink and finding out you picked the one spirit that person hates.
Poehlmann: Yes, for sure. Anything that helps me narrow down what someone wants is helpful. From there, I'll usually ask if they have a preferred spirit, boozy/bitter versus juicy/refreshing, or what some of their usual go-tos are.
Nielsen: I quickly try to find out what spirit they like, and if they want it light and fruity or strong and fresh.
RM: Do you have advice for adventurous drinkers (beyond "please don't hand the damn thing back to me and ask for something else")?
Seidensticker: Please give your bartender something to go on/let them know what you like and don't like. You stand a much better chance of getting a cocktail you like if you share your preferred flavor profiles.
Peters: Chrys always asks, “What’s your favorite drink?” for reference and then says, “Say less.”
Peck: Outside of having an allergy to something, I like it when people step out of their comfort zone. Had a bad experience with tequila in college? Let's give it another shot! You ruined gin for yourself drinking cheap hooch in high school and now think all gin tastes like Christmas trees? Maybe it's time to learn to love the martini. You think all rum drinks are too sweet? I'd love to change your mind. Lastly, if your only direction is that you want to drink something "really weird,” buckle up, my friend, we are about to party.
Poehlmann: Being able to at least loosely describe what you want or don't want is always very helpful. "Make me something fun" doesn't give me much to work with. Keep an open mind — trying new things is fun! Sometimes that means you'll get something that's not your favorite, but at the end of the day it's just booze. Trying something new is the only way to find out if you like it or not.
Nielsen: Yes — be aware of how busy the bartender is. Give him a direction to go, such as your preferred spirit and [if you] want something fresh or a slow sipper. This will help tremendously in getting you a cocktail that makes you happy.
