The martini, in its quintessential V-shaped glass, stands as perhaps the most iconic of cocktails. Traditionally a blend of gin and dry vermouth, variations now include chocolate, vodka or espresso. I’m a whiskey man myself, but I have become fascinated with the martini in its most pure and original form. But certain variations of it merit their own praise.
Although the instance of the cocktail’s creation is debated, consumption of the martini became common during the Prohibition era. Gin was easier to produce illicitly, and speakeasies embraced the martini’s simple yet potent concoction. The ratio changed during Prohibition and beyond, from two parts gin to one part vermouth all the way to the “driest version, which is 15 parts gin to one part vermouth.
Kansas City is host to no shortage of inspired cocktail bars, and on my search for the city’s best martini, I found several that stick pretty closely to the original recipe. Still, across the city, martinis run the gamut from classic to creative and provide a spectrum that both the purist and the adventurer are sure to appreciate.
The Basics
Swordfish Tom’s
When asked to make the truest of martinis, co-owner Jill Cockson mixed a pre-Prohibition-style cocktail that redefined my understanding. With only a two to one gin to vermouth ratio, a few dashes of orange bitters and a twist of lemon, the martini Cockson served was one of the most subtle and delicious drinks I have ever had. With high, full citrus, the drink was light and bitter with no burn in the finish. It was elegant and delicately balanced, and I could have drunk them all evening.
The Restaurant at 1900
(1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods)
Another pre-Prohibition style, the martini at 1900 amazes with what a few dashes of orange bitters can do. The Swedish gin warms you clearly and cleanly, and the expression of the lemon on the glass is delicate, making this cocktail understated and powerful with only the slightest hint of brine from the sherry-infused olive garnish.
The Crossovers
The Campground
The Campground delivers a whole experience with their martini, serving a small glass of the premixed, near-frozen drink while the accoutrements are prepared (which lovingly include a small bowl of salt and vinegar potato chips as a palate cleanser). The blend of three gins is loud and busy, like an argument among friends, and the combination of vermouth and sherry are the delightful friendship that keep it all together.
Wild Child
(11022 Johnson Drive, Shawnee)
“The coldest martini in town” is served in a fish flask nestled in a bait bucket packed with kakigori shaved ice (whisper-thin ice hand cranked from a block using a kakigori machine). Wild Child uses an overproof gin and dry vermouth to sit with the homemade caperberry distillate and brine. It is just enough not to overpower the spirits. As the drink warms, the brine shines, and the caperberry bite at the end is nothing short of pure magic.
The Extremes
Green Dirt on Oak
(11022 Johnson Drive, Shawnee)
As close to “off the rails” as you can get while still staying true to form, the “Cheese Kitchen Martini” is a savory adventure. The whey brine (whey is a byproduct from the cheese-making process) opaques the cocktail and curls the sides of your tongue to allow the gin to rest in your mouth. Garnished with olives and rimmed with a black pepper dusting, this is a journey toward the furthest end of savory.
Acre
(6325 Lewis St., Parkville, MO)
The Wooded Acre Martini is full of flavor and hot with intensity. Piney with a hit of citrus, the blended gins—Lillet Blanc and Dolin dry vermouth—stand packed among the Douglas Fir Eau du Vie. Garnished with olives, lemon and thyme, this boldly complicated flavor interacts with your entire palate.
