Manhattan Martinis at Bungalow 8

December 23, 2008 11:50 am

Bungalow 8 was the cornerstone of my nightlife activities when I moved to New York in 2002. A well-known celebrity destination, Amy Sacco's concierge themed hot spot catered to a hip jet set crowd whose nights lasted until the next morning. The perfect end to every evening before heading home, I went there to mingle and dance. When I wasn't drinking champagne, I was enjoying Bungalow 8's signature martini's. The Head Bartender, Ryan Metke, invited Behind the Burner inside the velvet ropes to show us what goes into the drinks.

Martini's are stereotypically a drink of sophistication. On the big screen and off, those who order a martini have an air of style and hint of power about them. Sacco's love for the martini pre-dated Bungalow 8, it began at Lot 61 where she was inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten's kitchen experiments. In her book Cocktail, Sacco says, "We spiked simple syrups with ginger, we poured fresh fruit purees into shakers, and by opening night we had sixty-one signature martinis, the most popular of which were the watermelon, a favorite summer elixir for mini-skirted goodtime girls, and the Valentino, a chic, red champagne-filled affair."

Back at Bungalow 8, Metke made three martinis for Divya and me--the Malibu Martini, Cowboy Martini and Watermelon Martini. I opted for the Malibu Martini because I have an apartment about 20 minutes away from Malibu, so I thought it would be nice to pay tribute to my California roots. Sipping the drink brought me back to my sunshine state, a warm breezy delightful twist of rum and juices, I could feel fresh air drift all around me. Divya does not drink liquor, but even she had to admit that her watermelon martini tasted light, sweet and delicious. As for the Cowboy, we let Metke take the reigns and describe the drink which you can watch on Behind the Videos.

Bungalow 8 remains a hip scene and you never know who you will bump into. When I stop by, I still see A-listers there whose names I'll keep to myself. (Privacy is to be respected!) Fortunately, the martini's at Bungalow 8 are no secret--they are legendary.

Caroline Alexa McBride