Danielle Pergament, Allure magazine
An interview with Greg Seider, the owner of Summit Bar in New York City. He reveals what he's learned about drinking-and dating-in his 15 years as a bartender.
You can tell a lot about a person by his drink. The bankers order vodka sodas, vodka tonics, or a scotch on the rocks. Or they go the opposite way, when they're trying to impress a date, and order a Prohibition-era cocktail, like the Last Word, which you knew they read about on some blog.
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If a woman orders an extra-dirty martini, she's on the prowl and wants to get drunk. A lot of women ask for it with extra olives, as if that will slow down the alcohol absorption. I don;t think it does. I've never understood people who order martinis in busy bars; unless it's made the right way and served properly chilled, it won't taste good. It's like an adult version of a Long Island iced tea-designed to get you drunk quickly.
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And speaking of Long Island iced teas, if people are annoying enough to order one, I tell them it's $26. If they're dumb enough to pay for it, I'll happily make it. On the other hand, if someone wants an old-fashioned or a Manhattan and requests a bourbon by name, she's a connoisseur.
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You see all kinds of pick-ups. The sending-over-a-drink thing only works about half the time; most women don't want to deal with the guy, even for the free drink. I frequently see people take the indirect approach. They flirt with the friend and then work up to their target which is a surprisingly successful strategy. One thing that drives me crazy is when people chew gum, because they're obviously not there for the taste of the liquor. I'll pass them a napkin and hope they get the hint.
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