Cocktail Cruise

The official drink of Austin contest

The challenge for bartenders from Austin’s finest hotels: Come up with unique recipes using Tito’s vodka to create what would become Austin’s “official” cocktail – the Batini. Eileen Reid-Buesing of the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau invited me to be one of the judges. The event on Aug. 19 was sponsored by Capital Cruises, Live Oak Brewing Co., Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Sweet Leaf Tea, Mix 94.7, Bat Conservation International, and the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

We boarded the party boat from Capital Cruises and set off just before dusk. We snacked on Ranch 616’s famous grilled quail, fiery camarones Ixtapa from Vivo, and homemade focaccia from Chez Zee. Members of Bat Conservation International were onboard the upper deck to answer questions regarding the bats. With Lake Austin’s gusty breeze on our backs and a glass of Live Oak Pilz (may I suggest it as the Official Beer of Austin?) in my hand, we watched the bats emerge as we floated in the middle of Town Lake. It was an amazing experience.

We judged the drinks according to taste, presentation, and originality. Personally, I also considered two more things: 1) Would I order and enjoy this drink at a bar; and 2) how representative is this drink of Austin and its culture, vibe, people? After all, it was to become the official cocktail of our city, one that I should proudly push on my out-of-town friends. Each and every one of the skilled bartenders participating put their heart and soul into their creations. It was quite difficult picking a winner, since all the cocktails were very different and very good in their own right. The contest this year was such a hit that the ACVB plans on making it an annual event and opening it up to more participants.

The Marriott’s apple martini was nicely tart and less sweet than the average found around town, with a fresher apple taste and a slight bite of chile at the finish. The caramelized apple slice garnish looked elegant and was tasty. The Hilton made a blueberry martini garnished with fresh blueberries and a floating bat cut out of a fresh apple slice. The Driskill, well-known for their martinis, made a deliciously refreshing blender martini with fresh lime juice, a Chambord floater, and fresh raspberries. The Renaissance’s bartender outdid himself with a marvelously dry, well-balanced port-and-Tito’s martini with a squeeze of fresh lemon. My pick was the Stephen F. Austin’s wildly creative martini of ice cold Tito’s with a dash of Sgt. Peppers’ Chipotle del Sol sauce and a spritz of silver tequila, served with a spicy and savory sangrita chaser. I want this to be my official drink, OK? The winner, now Austin’s official Batini, was the spectacularly presented, elaborately layered blue and pink martini from the Four Seasons, dubbed “Dusk ‘Til Dawn.” Congratulations to Chris Moore, the hotel’s talented bartender.

All of these spectacular drinks should appear on their respective bar menus. I, for one, will come drink them. After all, there’s an official drink for every occasion. – Claudia Alarc�n

This article appears in September 3 • 2004.

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Mick Vann is a retired Austin chef who is a food writer and restaurant critic, cookbook author, restaurant consultant, and recipe developer. He moonlights as a University of Texas horticulturist with a propensity for ethnic eats and international food, particularly of the Asian persuasion, but he also knows his way around a plate of soul food or barbecue.

Mexico City native Claudia Alarcón has made Austin home since 1984. She worked her way through college in the local restaurant industry, graduating from the University of Texas in 1999. She has been a Chronicle contributor for 15 years and presents lectures and workshops on topics related to the foodways of Mexico, both locally and internationally.