Last orders – Imbibe UK March 2010

8/14/2019 Last orders Imbibe UK March 2010

1/5

Picture the scene. Youve got one night left on earth, and with no hangover to worry

about the next day the world is yours for the taking.Nick Midgleyasks 10 top bartenders

for their last requests

PETER DORELLIFormer head bar tender at the

Savoy and all-round legend.

Where are we going?

London: the much-missed

Salvatore@Fifty and The

Dorchester.

Whos serving what?

At the bar will be my very good

friend Salvatore Calabrese,

along with Giuliano Morandin

and Francesco La Franconi,

now a Las Vegas entrepreneur

with great charisma. Drinks

will include a Negroni,

Calabreses Spicy Fifty and

LOr de Jean Martell cognac,

which I first tasted in Cognac

really special and really

expensive!

Whos providing the

music?

It has to be jazz piano. Ray

Charles has always been my

favourite, as well as Bazz

Norton who used toplay in the

American Barat The Savoy.

He now has his own place,

Pino Kensington, and hes

got even better!

Who else is coming?

Richard Harris, because I

enjoyed his company on

many occasions at the Savoy;

Peter Sellers, who always

made me laugh; Dudley

Moore for his terrific humour

and great piano talent; and

Liv Tyler who is beautiful

with a wonderful, understated

charm and no pretence.

Any last requests?

To be in the company of the

other three remaining

ex-head barmen of the Savoy:

Joe Gilmour, Victor Gower

and Salim Khoury.

PHILIP DUFFBartender, Consultant &

Co-Owner of Door 74,

Amsterdam

Where are we going?

Cape Town, overlooking the

confluence of two oceans as the

sun sets . Transported brick-

by-brick from Berlins

Wilmersdorf area will be what I

consider to be the best drinking

experience in the world: Gregor

Scholls 17-seat Rum Trader bar.

Whos serving what?

Several 50:50 G&Ts (made with

Booths House of Lords gin and

Fentimans tonic) with Gregor

Scholl at the start of the

evening, sitting on the bench

seat at the end of the bar on the

left. Switching to Pierrel Les

Oressences Blanc des Blancs

champagne when some

beautiful young ladies of my

acquaintance arrive. Then on to

Vintage 21-year-old rye

billionaire publisher Felix

Dennis because hes partied

more than anyone has a right

to, and Raymond Chandler,

so we could talk about booze,

broads and boxing.

What are we eating?

An appetiser of sushi

selections including the

finest o-toro tuna, with

Martinis made from 50:50

GVine gin and Dolin dry

vermouth, followed by

centre-cut Danish air-dried

beef covered in the bearnaise

sauce from Copenhagens

MASH restaurant,

accompanied by a good

Ptrus. Id conclude with a

cheesecake from The Palm

restaurant in Washington

DC, a glass of Excellia

orders Imbibe http://imbibe.com/article/last-orders

5 10-3-2010 17:59


2/5

Manhattans made with Carpano

Antica Formula vermouth while

in discussion with my other

guests (see above right). Well

close off with PX Flips made by

Timo Janse, head bartender of

Door 74.

Who else is coming?

Bill Clinton for a laugh and to

share war stories, Uma

Thurman so I could try to

seduce her,

tequila, and finally a port

with a ristretto and 96%

cacao dark chocolate with

just a hint of chilli.

Any dress code?

My own tailors work: a

handmade white-on-white

striped shirt and three-piece

double-breasted gangster

wide-stripe black and white

pinstriped suit with very

dark blue brogues. As the

evening progresses, I might

remove the waistcoat.

TOMAS ESTESTequila Ambassador

Where are we going?

Im in Ensenada, Baja

California Norte, a Mexican

port city 60 miles below

Tijuana on the Pacific coast.

The bar is Hussongs Cantina,

established before there were

cars. This is an unpretentious,

down-to-earth place to go and

have a great drink and a

fantastic never know what will

happen next time.

Whos serving what?

The bartender is John

Humphries, the man who

refused to train the youing

Dick Bradsell when he was

starting upas a neophyte.

Were drinking

Margaritas.

What are we eating?

We are eating street tacos

brought in from one of the

many dusty corners that are

covered with food vendors.

Whos providing themusic?

Bands come through the bar

regularly. The one playing

currently is a norteo band.

Who else is coming?

Im with my sons, and with

John Steinbeck. We are at the

bar talking, asking those

questions which will never be

answered.

CHRIS EDWARDESCo-Owner of Blanch House, The

Hanbury Club and Drink Pimps

Where are we going?

London. But this is not a

holiday, its a serious night of

irresponsible drinking; a

luxury in fact that is now

frowned upon in our industry.

Whos serving what, and

where?

I would have to restrict it to

the West End and Notting Hill.

Commencing at Dukes Hotel

for a Martini served by

Alessandro Palazzi, then to

Salvatore at Fifty to tuck into

some of those really expensive

brandies he kept locked in the

glass cabinets. From there to

Notting Hill for a small libation

or two courtesy of Henry

[Besant], Dre [Masso], Charles

[Vexenat] and Bex [Almqvist],

and then to the Portobello Star

for a beer, a Manhattan and a

couple of shots of something

nasty from the shelf of shame

with Jake Burger and Mal

Evans of Mojo fame. Back to

the West End to Quo Vadis for

an Old Fashioned with Paul

Mant and the boys with

Tinis Gianfranco Spada as

guestbartender. Then it

would be aslippy slide round

to The Green Fingernail to

drink one of Dick Bradsells

classic concoctions withNick

Strangeway, and finally to The

Groucho Club to meet Jared

Brown, Anistatia Miller, Peter

Dorelli and everyone we

visited earlier for the party of

a lifetime.

Whos providing the

music?

Tom Waits would park

himself at the piano at The

Groucho with a large bourbon,

and a fag in his mouth, and

play.

Who else is coming?

My wife and kids, Ernest

Hemingway, Peter OToole,

Bobby Moore, Audrey

Hepburn, Tom Waits and the

original rat pack.

Any last requests?

To wake up in the morning,

realise Id got the date wrong,have a pint of Bloody Mary

and start all over again.


5 10-3-2010 17:59


3/5

ANGUSWINCHESTERGlobetrotting Bar Consultant.

Where are we going?

The Caf Gray Deluxe bar at

The Upper House, Hong Kong.

Whos serving what?

Dick Bradsell, Charles

Schumann, Donn Beach,

Hidetsugu Ueno, Johnny Solon

and Dave Wondrich are behind

the bar. Theyre serving up

Negronis with Tanqueray No.Ten and Antica Formula, Mai

Tais with the original

17-year-old Wray & Nephew,

Taittinger Comtes de

Champagne, 29-year-old

Glenury Royal Malt, Marolo

Grappa di Barolo

20-year-old, Yebisu beer and

Pocari Sweat.

Who else is coming?

John Hegarty (the ad guy),

Oscar Wilde, Miles Davis and

Charles H Baker Jr.

What are we eating?

Oysters, Kobe beef and

syllabub.

Any dress code?

Ideally Id be naked with no

shame. But if my family are

around Ill go with a

handmade three-piece Prince

of Wales check Brioni suit.

AUDREY SAUNDERSNew York Cocktail Goddess

Where are we going?

Ill be drinking from 6pm to

6am. I would naturally start at

Pegu Club, and then move onto

the Flatiron Lounge, LittleBranch, PDT, Mayahuel, Death

& Company, Dutch Kills,

Clover Club, Milk & Honey and

back to Pegu for a final round.

Whos serving what?

At the Pegu, head bartender

Kenta Goto, Scott Teague, Del

Pedro, Raul Flores and Yael

Vengroff. Theyll be mixing

Pegu Club Cocktails, Gin-Gin

Mules, French Pearls and Old

Cubans.

Who else is coming?

Certainly my beloved, Robert

Hess. Also my all-time

favourite married couple; Sam

Kinsey and Kathryn Allyn, and

one of my dearest, oldest

friends, Rob Oppenheimer.

Any dress code?

For some reason, it feels like

New Years Eve, so I would

probably be dressed in black

silk and satin, with lots of

pearls.

Any last requests?

If its truly my very last night

on earth, then Id like to make

it back home and die in the

sack with Robert.

ANDY PEARSONFounder of the Hoxton Pony &

Director of Intoxicology

Where are we going?

London. We have such a glut

of talent over here now that it

would be a sin to go anywhere

else!

Whos serving what, and

where?

Id start the evening off in style

in the bar at Rules, where

Brian Silva would conjure up a

creation befitting the end ofthe world, before moving on to

Lonsdale. After a proper

Yorkshire send-off at the

Portobello Star with Big Jake

Burger, Id head to my local

pub, Ruse in Borough, so I

could sit and have a few cold

ones with Tony Hailwood and

the lads. From there its across

the bridge to Shoreditch for a

cheeky Margarita made by Will

Foster at Casita, round the

corner to my favourite bar of

the moment,Callooh Callay,

before popping in to see the

boys and girls at The Hoxton

Pony. No nightwould be

complete without a stop at

Mahiki to see Papa Jules and

the legendary Danny Smith,

and then to the mad professor

Tony Conigliaro at 69

Colebrooke Row for one of his

molecular creations straight

from the lab. He may even

find a formula to save the

world, which of course would

mean doing it all again the

next day by way of

celebration.

What are we eating?

If time all owed, Id probably

do the cooking. I love to host

and I may not be the best

cook in town, but my

herb-crusted rack of lamb

usually does the trick. If the

clock was ticking then it

would be beer nuts all round.

GARY REGANUK Bartending Expat

residing in New YorK

Where are we going?

Well be sitting in the vaults at

The Bay Horse pub in

What are we eating?

Fish, chips, and mushy peas

with a steak pudding, extra


5 10-3-2010 17:59


4/5

Thornton, Lancashire. My

parents used to run it, and the

present landlord and landlady,

Tony and Cath Duncan, are

fabulous hosts. We might pop

over to Manhattan for a couple

of drinks in Drakes Drum, too.

Its no longer there, but it was

where I started out in NYC; an

earthy neighbourhood joint

with sawdust on the floor onthe Upper East Side.

Whos serving what?

Nick Irving: he used to tend

bar at The Bay and had his very

own brand of bartender

sarcasm that went down very

well indeed. And Dave Ridings,

now deceased, the

quintessential bartender who

taught me much. Well be

drinking Tetleys Bitter and

Wild Turkey 101 on the rocks.

Its the only bourbon they

stock at The Bay and will suit

me just fine.

Who else is coming?

Jesus, Mohammed and

Buddha, but we wont be

talking religion. Theyll be

taking a night off to discuss the

finer points of the sleazy

underbelly of Blackpool. Pete

Townshend, Quentin Crisp and

Johnny Rotten can come hang

with us, too.

gravy and chip-shop curry

sauce.

Whos providing the

music?

Dave Mallinder, the pub DJ,

will be playing 60s & 70s R&B

with a bit of punk, and some

hokey stuff like Rum and

Coca-Cola by the Andrews

Sisters. The Who might make

a surprise appearance, but

they can only perform one

song (perhaps Baba ORiley?),

because we really want to talk

rather than pay attention to

the band. Oh yes, and Keith

Moon returns from the dead

to play drums.

Any dress code?

Jeans, a t-shirt and sandals.

Its a balmy summers night

and we can stand outside late

as it doesnt get dark until

after 10pm. We might just

catch a glimpse of theNorthern Lights, which would

be pretty nifty as theyve

never been seen in Thornton

before.

Any last requests?

Perhaps a bunch of

middle-aged women out on

the prowl could pop into the

pub, too?

SPIKE MARCHANTMixologist & Consultant with the

Drink Factory

Where are we going?

El Parian, in Tlaquepaque, the

old heart of Guadalajara. Its a

wonderful open-air courtyard

square with a crumbling

splendour thats beautifully old

Mexico. At night its a riot of

mariachi bands and locals

enjoying themselves. Wed

stop off first in La Maestranza

Cantina, an old bull-fighting

hang out.

Whos serving what?

Tequila by Tapatio, Calle 23,

Ocho and Don Julio; beers byNegra Modelo and a couple of

cask-conditioned Dorset ales;

cocktails would be old school

classics like Aviations, Blood

and Sand and the Martinez.

Champagnes are by Billecart

Salmon, and wines by Nicolas

Catena. Dick Bradsell and Jake

Burger are leading the charge

behind the bar, and thered be

at least a dozen others to pick

up the strain. Jason Fendick,

Chris Edwardes and Charles

Vexenat take it in turns.

Whos providing the

music?Apart from the local

Mariachi

bands, which are amazing, Id

have Missy Elliott for booty-

shaking, The Foo Fighters for

head-banging and a Plump

DJs set to take us till dawn.

Who else is coming?

Monica Belluci, my favourite

writer Kurt Vonnegut, Eddie

Izzard and the Dalai Lama.

Its my last night and I need a

little redemption, and besides

Im sure he would get on

down to Missy.

Any dress code?If only I had the height to pull

off the cowboy look of Los

Altos... So Im going 1920s

broad-check gangster style. I

need decent tailoring to cover

the marks of an ill-spent

lifetime.

Any last requests?

Ill make good use of my star

guests talents; Kurt can write

my obituary, Eddie entertains

everyone at the wake, Monica

can dab a tear away and the

Dalai Lama gives me a free

pass to Nirvana.


5 10-3-2010 17:59


5/5

DAVE WONDRICHUS Writer & Drinks Historian

Where are we going?

New York, as it was in 1900. Id

observe the stations of the

cocktail route, hitting all the

famous bars in the Madison

Square/Herald Square region:

The Waldorf-Astoria, the

Holland House, the St James

and a handful more, ending up

at the Hoffman House where

my select company and I would

explore the eatables and enjoy

a little music.

Whos serving what?

George Kappeler at the Holland

House, Frank Meier and Harry

Craddock at the Hoffman

House, and Id have to import

Dale DeGroff into one of the

bars to show the old-timers

what a whippersnapper can do.

Id be pretty much focusing on

Crustas, made with the best

brandy or the oldest Holland

gin in the house, and delightfulthings involving champagne.

Who else is coming?

Id need a poet, but a clever

one, so lets say Ovid. A

bartender would be in order

so, of course, Jerry Thomas.

Throw in the crazy Czech

humorist Jaroslav Haek,

because he makes me laugh,

and finish with Carole

Lombard, for the same reason

(that and the legs).

What are we eating?

The free lunch, not skimping

on the fried oysters or roast

pheasant.

Whos providing the

music?

Since bringing in Fela Kuti

and Africa 70 would probably

blow every circuit in New

York at the time, Id have to

fall back on someone without

so many amplifiers; say, Jelly

Roll Morton and His Red HotPeppers with what the hell

Frank Zappa sitting in on

electric guitar.

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine - January / February 2010


Last orders – Imbibe UK March 2010

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