Dishing Ojai: The Martini Debate
My “big girl” drink of choice is the Hendrick’s gin martini with two meaty olives. Hendrick’s is heavy on coriander and juniper as is typical of a fine gin, and infusions of cucumber and rose petal give it a unique flavor. I usually have one on a Friday and rarely manage to drink the whole thing. After getting my bill one night after an early dinner at the Village Jester (previous DO column here), I was shocked to find that the charge for my martini was a whopping $14. Nigel explained that it’s a higher price because it’s a double shot. It appeared to be the same size as the other martinis in town, so, inspired by Matt Haag’s penchant for price comparisons, my mission was clear. So here it is, the official Ojai martini price check:
Auberge:
We had a bad experience there and since they seem to only specialize in small food, we had stayed away. But Kit Stoltz’s recent write-up in the VC Reporter made me decide to give it another shot. On Wednesday nights, the martinis are two for one, and they also offer inexpensive (but tasty) pub food, like three mini-burgers or a grilled portobello sandwich. The bartender took great pride in preparing my cocktail and instead of olives, he added muddled cucumber and a cucumber wheel on the rim – perfection in a glass! Normally $12, on Wednesday nights it was a bargain at just $6. Unfortunately, Auberge is set to close at the end of June, so get it while you can.
Movino:
All martinis are always $10. They have a special twist on the Hendricks martini called the Spa-tini. It has cucumber, lime and simple syrup. I prefer it without the simple syrup, because otherwise it’s just too sweet for my taste. They have another martini I like called the Ruby Red made with grapefruit vodka. And the scrumptious gourmet pizzas with super thin crispy crusts are not to be missed.
Azu:
Bodee Dharma is arguably the best bartender in town and he makes a fantastic Hendrick’s martini (um, yes, that’s really his name). We have been to Azu many times and since the service in the dining room is spotty, we always eat at the bar. At $9.50, Azu has the best value in town. And they have the best ice cream in town – the gelato is made every Thursday by Vanessa Hattoum (see a quick video of her making it here).
Maravilla:
The fine dining room of the swanky five-diamond Ojai Valley Inn has a beautiful lounge. At $15 for a Hendrick’s martini (a buck more than Jester’s), theirs is the most expensive around, but it comes with a linen cocktail napkin and bathrooms that work.
Village Jester:
I had worked it out so that I could order a half martini in a small glass (call me cheap), so a few weeks ago we stopped in for a bite to eat and a drink. Unfortunately, the chef had walked off, as had the owner, so there was no food to be had! Not looking to drink our dinner, we moved on to Feast (where Rosie is back from Ireland helping Sue and Mario from time to time). I sure hope things have gotten better at the Jester, because I really like having a pub in Ojai.
There you have it, Ojai! Matt and I talk about this and a few other odds and ends, including The Meat Man in Oak View, Matt’s recent trip to Disneyland and Lisa’s swampy pool on the most recent installment of the Ojai Moment on Radio Ojai. Although Matt is more inclined to order a beer, he did tell me recently that his favorite martini is a Grey Goose vodka apple martini (isn't that what J.D. drinks on Scrubs?).
What say you, Ojai, vodka or gin, sweet or salty, shaken or stirred?
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Comments (14)
If I still had the star ratings up, this would have been a five-star post. I'm not a martini drinker but Wednesday nights at Auberge sound fun. Why are they closing? I don't recall ever hearing about a restaurant that is going to close - they usually just close right up without hemorrhaging wait staff, bartenders, cooks, etc. who are already looking for the next gig.
Comment #1 Posted by: Tyler | April 30, 2008 09:52 AM
Not to be too critical, and who knows, maybe Martini's are a relevant subject, but this sure seems like trivial post.
Tyler, "5-star" post. You gotta be kidding me. Seems like nepotism to me. :)
Comment #2 Posted by: anonymous | April 30, 2008 10:04 AM
och, away with your GIN, drink the heavenly MALT WHISKY, it will sweeten your disposition and soften the lobes of your ears,
A HIGHLANDER
Comment #3 Posted by: elrev | April 30, 2008 11:18 AM
Auberge is closing??? How sad. Lots of fond memories I have of the place - a few Christmas dinners, huge family gatherings, even my very first date at age 16 or 17 back in the early 80's! I ordered frogs legs thinking I was being so posh and would seem so sophisticated to my slightly older date. I nearly died when they arrived and looked like....well, frogs legs!I then proceeded to put ketchup on the things hoping to make the whole, horrible plate just disappear. So much for sophistication!
Sad. I wonder if Paul and Elaine are aware...
Comment #4 Posted by: LTOR | April 30, 2008 11:34 AM
Good reviews I actually had a pretty good martini at Mo's that Brett made the other night.Remember what Mae West said about them...Martinis are like breasts one is not enough and three is too many.no offense to anyonr with a masectomy
Comment #5 Posted by: mario Gonzales | May 1, 2008 12:54 PM
Again I'll post this quote by the fab Dorothy Parker:
"I love a good martini, one at the very most. Two - I'm under the table and three I'm under the host!" :)
Comment #6 Posted by: LTOR | May 1, 2008 01:30 PM
anonymous: I'm sure tyler meant 5 stars within the context of local restaurant reviews, not for all posts overall. Whatever. Personally, I'm able to swing from the mundane to the cosmic, from the trivial to the important, on a regular basis.
Here's my recipe from my bartending days: best gin you can afford (yes, gotta taste that juniper), a slight splash of vermouth and two salt-cured green olives (no vinegar!!) olives can be stuffed with garlic, almond or whatever if this is to be your meal, too. Shaken, not stirred, served ice cold. You can add a splash of olive juice to "water it down" if needed. Sorry, kids, vodka is not for martinis.
Comment #7 Posted by: old ojai coot | May 2, 2008 12:40 PM
#2 personally I love restaurant reviews and I think they're very relevent, since I've never tasted a martini and now know where to go for my first hit - thanks Lisa
Comment #8 Posted by: dvorah | May 2, 2008 12:57 PM
Interesting that a man, Albert Hofman, who helped so many with their addictions, including alcohol, with his synthesis of LSD gets completely overlooked on this website, getting only a couple brief comments on the post and martini's, that feed into the consumer addictions and status quo spark more interest. The peaceniks on this post seem to have forgotten their roots.
Comment #9 Posted by: anonymous | May 6, 2008 01:29 AM
Very interesting and astute observation! Thank you.
However, being the hopeful soul that I am, I would not jump to conclusions! Perhaps the peacenicks on the post are hiding in the bushes.
Comment #10 Posted by: Suza | May 6, 2008 08:23 AM
Methinks that not too many here were alive when ampules of Sandoz Laboratories LSD-25 were still legally available. If you weren't there, your best chance of knowing why Hoffman could have been better feted would have come via some of the first and best Windowpane, and/or Owsley's product.
How many people today appreciate and give tribute to Jonas Salk, who -- at least in my mind -- contributed far more to the general welfare of humankind than did Hoffman? I think that there are probably a lot more people who would rather walk and breathe unaided than there are people who would like to trip, no matter how interesting, entertaining, and life-changing the trip might be.
Comment #11 Posted by: phalarope | May 6, 2008 08:36 AM
Thanks, Tyler, and #2, of my 100+ articles here on the OP over the last couple of years, I have pretty much established myself in the niche of all that is trivial, martinis notwithstanding!
#7, don't forget olives stuffed with bleu cheese!
#9-11, I think you might be looking for this post:
http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/04/albert_hofman_dead_at_age_102.shtml
Is it Friday yet?
Comment #12 Posted by: Lisa Snider | May 6, 2008 08:57 AM
I second Bo at Azu being the best bartender in town. Try his mojito.
Comment #13 Posted by: Anonymous | May 6, 2008 04:11 PM
Lisa, thanks for trying to be helpful. That link you posted is the same article we noticed had only two comments.
LSD (2) vs Martinis (13)!
Comment #14 Posted by: Suza | May 6, 2008 04:41 PM