Mojito

This Cuban drink was born in Havana, in a small family restaurant that still exists today. The name mojito, according to legend, comes from “mojadito,” which means “slightly moist.

The composition of the mojito is rum, sugar syrup, soda (Sprite), mint and lime.

Cosmopolitan

According to one version, the cocktail was created as part of an advertising campaign for Absolut Citron lemon-flavored vodka. According to the second version, the author of the cocktail is Cheryl Cook, a bartender from Florida, and Toby Cizzini from Manhattan perfected and “replicated” it in the now familiar recipe. For a while, Cosmopolitan was popular among visitors to gay clubs, but after the TV series “Sex and the City” the cocktail became fashionable everywhere.

The composition of the cocktail is orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lemon juice, vodka, and orange peel essential oil.

Pina Colada

Pina colada – “filtered pineapple” – was originally the name given to freshly squeezed pineapple juice. Then it was mixed with rum and later in the twentieth century a cocktail based on these ingredients was born in Puerto Rico.

The composition of the Pina Colada is white rum, coconut syrup, and pineapple juice.

Margarita

This Latin American cocktail was born in 1936-1948 and in one way or another is associated with the name of a girl – Margarita. The first version dedicates the cocktail to the American actress Marjorie King, who could not drink any alcoholic beverages. The proportions of the modern cocktail were chosen for her. The second legend insists that a certain bartender from Juarez mixed up the order of the cocktail and made it on his own. He named the drink, which immediately became a hit, after the flowers of the daisies. These are not all the versions of the cocktail’s origin, but since none of the authors patented the recipe, there is still controversy surrounding it.

The composition of the Margarita is tequila, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.

Screwdriver

According to the version of origin, the screwdriver got its name from American petroleum engineers working in Iraq, who mixed vodka and juice with the screwdriver tool.

The composition of the cocktail is vodka and orange juice.

Bloody Mary

Again, there is no consensus on who the author of this iconic cocktail is. One source says that it was invented by George Jessel in 1939 as a hangover cure. And others link the cocktail with the name of the English Queen Mary I Tudor, who was called the Bloody Mary behind her back for her cruel treatment of Protestants.

The cocktail contains vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, fresh celery, Worcester sauce, Tabasco, salt, and ground pepper.

Tequila Sunrise

This cocktail was invented in the 1930s and 1940s at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel and had a very different recipe. It got its name for its appearance – the components of the cocktail settled to the bottom, mixing with the juice, a game of color, similar to a sunrise was obtained.

The composition of Tequila Sunrise is tequila, orange juice and pomegranate syrup.

Daiquiri

The story of the cocktail’s creation takes us back to Cuba, where a certain engineer named Jennings Coxe went to the Daiquiri area on an expedition. To quench his workers’ thirst, he used rum he had and lime juice and sugar he borrowed from the locals, diluting the simple cocktails with ice.

The composition of the cocktail is white rum, lemon juice and sugar syrup.

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• Purpose of the visit:

First you need to decide with whom and on what occasion you go to a bar or cafe. Restaurateurs divide the purpose of the visit into four groups:

1. family and friendly get-togethers;
2. business meeting;
3. romantic date;
4. banquet (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc.).

Each group has its own selection criteria. For a romantic date important factors are: quality service, cozy interior, live music.

When choosing a place for a business meeting pay attention to: the prestige of the institution and the contingent of its visitors, the speed of service, the noise level (the less, the better).

For a holiday with friends or family are guided by these indicators: the best price / quality ratio (cost of food should be adequate to its quality, in this case there is no sense to overpay), proximity to home (especially if the company will be children), a wide range of alcohol, speed of service.

In the case of a banquet, the availability of a spacious hall, secure parking and the cost of food are important indicators.

• Gathering information:

Once the purpose of the visit is known, move on to the selection of a particular institution. First, you need to gather as much information as possible about the candidates closest to your home. Perhaps one of the institutions will suit you. If you don’t find any, you will have to widen your search.

You can get information from directories, brochures, the Internet, or ask acquaintances about their favorite places. Now more or less respectable restaurants, bars and cafes have their own website, which indicate: the exact address, map, pictures of interior and even the approximate cost of food.

The advantage of the Internet and the fact that the forums can find reviews from visitors who were there. I advise you not to ignore such a source of information. If there are a lot of negative reviews and specific shortcomings, it may be an indication of problems in the institution.

• Pre-visit or phone call:

A very important stage, during which the institution is evaluated. Of course, it is better to go and orient yourself on the spot, but not always there is such an opportunity, so many make an order by phone.

During the visit or a phone call, I advise you to evaluate the politeness of the staff’s answers and the completeness of answers to questions. The representative of the place, talking to you, should give out as much information as possible, and not wait until they start asking questions.

An important factor is the time after which you were given attention. Indirectly, it indicates the speed of service. If no one came to the phone a couple of minutes, or during a personal visit you had to wait a long time for the representative of the institution, it is possible that the ordered dishes or the waiter will also have to wait for an eternity.

In addition to questions that depend on the purpose of the visit, you need to ask the representative of the institution the following:

• The availability of ventilation (air conditioning) system in the hall where you will rest;
• style of cuisine (Russian, French, Italian, etc.);
• whether there are alcoholic beverages that your company prefers, for example, people who are used to drinking grappa, find this drink not in every bar;
• whether there is security;
• the number and contingent of other people who will be in the same room with your company;
  payment methods (cash only or cashless payment is possible).

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Milk and Honey

On the window of the building at this address, you may notice a small sign that reads M&H, Tailors, Alterations. The iron door right next to the sign is the right entrance.

Milk & Honey Bar opened in 2002 in two cities at once – New York (Soho area) and London. The institution has a club system, so if you are not a member of the club, you need to make a reservation in advance to visit the bar. However, the entrance is allowed only until 11 p.m.

Cocktails from the bar are made only from natural ingredients: freshly squeezed juices, handmade syrups and natural flavorings. Besides cocktails, the bar offers wide wine list, rich choice of champagne, whiskey, armagnacs. Gaming room, designed for private parties, is situated on the second floor of the bar. Poker, chess, a special menu of drinks, the possibility of ordering music – all this is waiting for the company of guests from 25 people.

Little Branch

“The Twig is located in the West Village neighborhood. To get to this bar, you must find an iron door with no sign on it. The only indication that you have come to the right address is the guard at the entrance. After climbing a long staircase, the visitor enters a classic American bar from the 1920s. Even the bar staff are dressed accordingly. The institution offers guests a cozy atmosphere, light semi-darkness, masterfully created cocktails. Also the bartender will be happy to prepare an individual cocktail – just name your preferred flavors and alcohol, and then watch the creation of a personal drink. Often the bar hosts jazz evenings and live music concerts, which makes this place even more attractive for guests. It is worth noting that in the bar you can pay only in cash.

The Raines Law Room

The semi-dark, lively, and loud atmosphere of the bar called the Raines Law Room makes the visitor feel like they are entering a private party in someone’s living room. Upon arriving at the right address, one must find a staircase leading down to a black wooden door. All one has to do is ring the bell and the bar doors will be open.

Pre-booking is highly desirable, otherwise there simply may not be any free space in the bar. To make a reservation you need to send an email with the exact date, time and number of guests.

Often visitors to the bar are amazed that the cocktail list in the bar is too large, so it is sometimes very difficult to make a choice. There is also a wide range of spirits on the menu: rum, whiskey, vodka and gin.

Death & Co

During Prohibition it was believed that people who drank alcohol lived under the shadow of death. The name of the bar “Death and Company” comes from this belief. The establishment offers guests the simple pleasures of life – good wine, quality cocktails, expertly prepared food.

The bar does not offer reservations, so sometimes you have to wait your turn to enjoy the interiors and atmosphere. To find the entrance to the bar, you have to walk to the store, which has wooden panels instead of windows. A metal sign with the name Death & Co. on the sidewalk will let you know you’re in the right place. If you’re lucky and the bar is vacant (which is unlikely), the security guard will let you in right away. Otherwise, you’ll need to leave your phone number, which you’ll be called when seats are available. Usually the wait is about 20-30 minutes.

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