Martinis, anyone?
May 9, 2007 | 12:00am
Shaken, not stirred." Of course we all know who said this, in several books and a few film scenes. Bond. James Bond.
Trivia-wise, it was particularly engaging as a throwback to the ’60s when Sean Connery introduced the phrase onscreen, as Her Majesty’s Secret Service Agent 007’s personal preference for serving martinis.
Bar-crawlers from New York to New Delhi took it as gospel truth regarding the cosmopolitan mixed spirit. Somehow, those kewpie lips with the Scottish pout seemed most eminently authoritative.
But what isn’t familiar is that Ian Fleming, author of the Bond books, had simply done a contrary take on an earlier testimonial re the martini.
A more distinguished writer who had preceded him, W. Somerset Maugham, had declared: "Martinis should always be stirred, not shaken  so that the molecules lie sensuously one on top of the other."
Maybe it was reverse hommage rendered by Fleming, but for some reason he turned the earlier endorsement around and had James Bond formulating the bar-top wisdom: that a martini should be "always shaken, not stirred."
Then again, Sir Ian might have had a background in chemistry, and already knew what is current barista knowledge, that "a shaken martini is believed to have a more rounded and sharper taste, with a cloudy texture rather than clear, brought about by the vigorous shaking action."
In any case, shaken or stirred, maybe it’s best you try out your next martini at a most appropriate place, the newly opened Martinis at Mandarin Oriental in Makati.
It used to be that apart from Greenbelt’s al fresco resto spaces, where I could deign to indulge in civilized dinner and drinks followed by that post-prandial smoke, only Kipling’s Cigar Bar at Mandarin was our favorite watering hole in repressive Makati. Now, right next door to it, is another night venue that allows for an exemption to faddish PC (political correctness).
Yes, Martinis is a smoking bar, isn’t that great? You’ll find it at the Mandarin’s lobby level, adjacent to Captain’s Bar, with a direct entrance next to Kipling’s right off Makati Avenue. That means you don’t have to suffer the full 90 yards more with your driver while having to go through the hotel checkpoint towards the parking lot, driveway and main lobby entrance.
Martinis features an elongated space that seats over 80 guests within a veritable showcase of stylish, multi-faceted interiors that spell chic and moderne.
A comfortable foyer, the lounge, bar area and stage all enjoy an integral flow of space. Polished wood flooring gives way to dark-hued carpets. Rich wood and leather upholstery in red, cream and other warm tones mesh with black fittings. Striking art deco chandeliers highlight wall alcoves and panels.
The bartenders’ sportive action is reflected on tilted ceiling mirrors, while flatscreen plasma TV sets, recessed behind the long bar, offer alternative visual entertainment, in keeping with today’s premium for multi-visual, multi-sensory stimuli.
A baby grand piano takes center stage, and beyond that, curved glass walls bring natural light in during the day and city lights at night.
Martinis is also a jazz bar, featuring the classy Canadian chanteuse, Karen Manion. She’s backed up by the Bluroom Band in a nightly interplay of cool jazz and soul standards, pop and funky R&B. They play from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., preceded by piano entertainment from 7 to 7:45 every night except on Sundays, when it becomes a piano bar from 7 to 11 p.m.
Martinis is also open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, when it serves a carvery lunch buffet. On Saturdays, it’s open from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Make that 6 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Mandarin Oriental’s general manager Helmut Gaisberger says that Martinis has been designed as a premier bar and meeting place. And that more than just a bar, it’s a destination, a bonding place, for everyone with a "license to chill."
Well, it wasn’t just James Bond as fictional hero that has been associated with martinis. Toss in Cary Grant, Winston Churchill, and writers F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
At Martinis, premium cigars are also made available, along with a slew of aperitifs, digestives, and a wide selection of classic cocktails, among these Singapore Sling, Mojitos, Margaritas, Capirinha, Daiquiris and Mai Tais. Signature cocktails include Sunset Colada, To Die For, Manileño and All That Jazz.
And of course there’s an extensive and inventive martini selection aside from the Dry Martini: Ginger Martini, Sake Martini, Choco-chili, Dirty Martini, Cosmopolitan, Muddy Martini, Voodoo, Wasabi Martini, and Vodkatini.
Such specialty martinis are now in vogue, apace with the changing times. These use a variety of combinations of fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Splashes of cream are sometimes added, as well as a choice of brightly colored liqueurs. For flavored martinis, garnishes have turned unique: marinated capers, fresh herbs, olives stuffed with blue cheese and anchovies, or sun-dried tomatoes, in lieu of the standard cocktail olive or lemon twist.
Indeed, the martini has come a long way from its beginnings as a distinctly American cocktail at the start of the 20th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Martinez  an older, sweeter, but similar cocktail that had its origins in California in the 1870s.
Since then, the martini has gained iconic status  in fact, even the title of "King of Cocktails"  and become the symbol for cocktails and nightlife in general.
That’s why as you enter Martinis at Mandarin Oriental, what greets you is a chrome panel featuring that logo of a cocktail glass. That’s before the amiable outlet manager, Javier Berenguer-Testa, ushers you in with cheery aplomb. Don’t let his surname fool you; he’s a local who’s completely polished his genuine people skills.
The night when the Philippines Free Press awards were given out at the Mandarin Ballroom last month, we first made our nightcap acquaintance with Martinis, escorted by a couple of suddenly flush prizewinners, one of whom tried out the lychee martini. Equally a winner was the verdict.
That same night, the place was packed, with Dr. Bill Cammack holding court right before the stage, together with his beauteous better half, Pepys Yulo Cammack, as they hosted a coven of lady visitors from Down Under. And the jazz music was stirring, shaking us all up.
The second time we tried to check out the place, we were refused entry, because an all-women private party was going on till a certain hour. Oh, well. Maybe it was a bonding meeting where they proposed destined additions to the cocktails list: a Carmi Martini and a Martini Hingis.
Trivia-wise, it was particularly engaging as a throwback to the ’60s when Sean Connery introduced the phrase onscreen, as Her Majesty’s Secret Service Agent 007’s personal preference for serving martinis.
Bar-crawlers from New York to New Delhi took it as gospel truth regarding the cosmopolitan mixed spirit. Somehow, those kewpie lips with the Scottish pout seemed most eminently authoritative.
But what isn’t familiar is that Ian Fleming, author of the Bond books, had simply done a contrary take on an earlier testimonial re the martini.
A more distinguished writer who had preceded him, W. Somerset Maugham, had declared: "Martinis should always be stirred, not shaken  so that the molecules lie sensuously one on top of the other."
Maybe it was reverse hommage rendered by Fleming, but for some reason he turned the earlier endorsement around and had James Bond formulating the bar-top wisdom: that a martini should be "always shaken, not stirred."
Then again, Sir Ian might have had a background in chemistry, and already knew what is current barista knowledge, that "a shaken martini is believed to have a more rounded and sharper taste, with a cloudy texture rather than clear, brought about by the vigorous shaking action."
In any case, shaken or stirred, maybe it’s best you try out your next martini at a most appropriate place, the newly opened Martinis at Mandarin Oriental in Makati.
It used to be that apart from Greenbelt’s al fresco resto spaces, where I could deign to indulge in civilized dinner and drinks followed by that post-prandial smoke, only Kipling’s Cigar Bar at Mandarin was our favorite watering hole in repressive Makati. Now, right next door to it, is another night venue that allows for an exemption to faddish PC (political correctness).
Yes, Martinis is a smoking bar, isn’t that great? You’ll find it at the Mandarin’s lobby level, adjacent to Captain’s Bar, with a direct entrance next to Kipling’s right off Makati Avenue. That means you don’t have to suffer the full 90 yards more with your driver while having to go through the hotel checkpoint towards the parking lot, driveway and main lobby entrance.
Martinis features an elongated space that seats over 80 guests within a veritable showcase of stylish, multi-faceted interiors that spell chic and moderne.
A comfortable foyer, the lounge, bar area and stage all enjoy an integral flow of space. Polished wood flooring gives way to dark-hued carpets. Rich wood and leather upholstery in red, cream and other warm tones mesh with black fittings. Striking art deco chandeliers highlight wall alcoves and panels.
The bartenders’ sportive action is reflected on tilted ceiling mirrors, while flatscreen plasma TV sets, recessed behind the long bar, offer alternative visual entertainment, in keeping with today’s premium for multi-visual, multi-sensory stimuli.
A baby grand piano takes center stage, and beyond that, curved glass walls bring natural light in during the day and city lights at night.
Martinis is also a jazz bar, featuring the classy Canadian chanteuse, Karen Manion. She’s backed up by the Bluroom Band in a nightly interplay of cool jazz and soul standards, pop and funky R&B. They play from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., preceded by piano entertainment from 7 to 7:45 every night except on Sundays, when it becomes a piano bar from 7 to 11 p.m.
Martinis is also open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, when it serves a carvery lunch buffet. On Saturdays, it’s open from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Make that 6 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Mandarin Oriental’s general manager Helmut Gaisberger says that Martinis has been designed as a premier bar and meeting place. And that more than just a bar, it’s a destination, a bonding place, for everyone with a "license to chill."
Well, it wasn’t just James Bond as fictional hero that has been associated with martinis. Toss in Cary Grant, Winston Churchill, and writers F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
At Martinis, premium cigars are also made available, along with a slew of aperitifs, digestives, and a wide selection of classic cocktails, among these Singapore Sling, Mojitos, Margaritas, Capirinha, Daiquiris and Mai Tais. Signature cocktails include Sunset Colada, To Die For, Manileño and All That Jazz.
And of course there’s an extensive and inventive martini selection aside from the Dry Martini: Ginger Martini, Sake Martini, Choco-chili, Dirty Martini, Cosmopolitan, Muddy Martini, Voodoo, Wasabi Martini, and Vodkatini.
Such specialty martinis are now in vogue, apace with the changing times. These use a variety of combinations of fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Splashes of cream are sometimes added, as well as a choice of brightly colored liqueurs. For flavored martinis, garnishes have turned unique: marinated capers, fresh herbs, olives stuffed with blue cheese and anchovies, or sun-dried tomatoes, in lieu of the standard cocktail olive or lemon twist.
Indeed, the martini has come a long way from its beginnings as a distinctly American cocktail at the start of the 20th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Martinez  an older, sweeter, but similar cocktail that had its origins in California in the 1870s.
Since then, the martini has gained iconic status  in fact, even the title of "King of Cocktails"  and become the symbol for cocktails and nightlife in general.
That’s why as you enter Martinis at Mandarin Oriental, what greets you is a chrome panel featuring that logo of a cocktail glass. That’s before the amiable outlet manager, Javier Berenguer-Testa, ushers you in with cheery aplomb. Don’t let his surname fool you; he’s a local who’s completely polished his genuine people skills.
The night when the Philippines Free Press awards were given out at the Mandarin Ballroom last month, we first made our nightcap acquaintance with Martinis, escorted by a couple of suddenly flush prizewinners, one of whom tried out the lychee martini. Equally a winner was the verdict.
That same night, the place was packed, with Dr. Bill Cammack holding court right before the stage, together with his beauteous better half, Pepys Yulo Cammack, as they hosted a coven of lady visitors from Down Under. And the jazz music was stirring, shaking us all up.
The second time we tried to check out the place, we were refused entry, because an all-women private party was going on till a certain hour. Oh, well. Maybe it was a bonding meeting where they proposed destined additions to the cocktails list: a Carmi Martini and a Martini Hingis.
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