Last Chance To See 600 sq mi: Hidden
Missed Connections: Gefilte Fish...and "Chain Connections"
H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
Justin puts the finishing touches on an "Old Cuban" at Anvil Bar & Refuge
After much time spent (shamefully) in the dregs of Midtown and Washington Ave. area, it is incredibly refreshing to go to a bar with attentive service, outstanding drinks, and extensive knowledge. Houstonist was growing weary; some of us were flat out exhausted of trying to explain an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan at virtually every bar in town. We knew the situation was bad when once we requested the latter and the response was, “Why didn’t you just ask for vodka and cranberry juice?” Yikes! We ordered a beer promptly instead.
Houstonist scoped out Anvil twice last week to give a full review. Anvil, located in the curve of Westheimer across from Boondocks, has a nostalgic and rustic feel inside. The drinks are equally inviting and unique. They do not yet have a complete list of cocktails, but do have a menu which features cheese plates, beer and wine (sandwiches and pizzas soon to come). Featured drinks of the day are written on a large chalkboard at the end of the bar. We tried such concoctions as the Monkey Gland with gin, orange juice, absinthe and grenadine and the Mexican Fizz with tequila, lime, cointreau and an egg white. Of course, cocktails are not limited to this daily menu, but any requests can be made. Trust us, we tested the knowledge of our bartenders and were pleasantly surprised.
With that being said, Anvil is a place where the bartenders take pride and time in hand-crafting each drink. Do not be surprised to find a metered line at peak hours to ensure quality. We encountered this Saturday night, but the wait was very brief. Wednesday, in contrast, had no line and we walked right up to seats at the bar. Anvil is absolutely NOT the kind of place where you will be pressed against throngs of drunk masses throwing back Jägerbombs. If that is your forte, please consume your alcoholic beverages elsewhere.
Anvil Bar & Refuge is open from 5:00pm-2:00am daily and is located at 1424 Westheimer, 77006.
photo by eric@darnart.com
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I've run into the same experience ordering Manhattans in Houston. In fact I had a friend try to order a Manhattan at a Washington Avenue bar and was asked if it was ok if they skipped the sweet vermouth.... Don't mean to sound stuck up - it's just that I worked as a bartender for many years and am amazed when folks can't mix the basic drinks...
You certainly sound stuck up! So, you were a bartender, I bet the only thing you could mix is a metaphor. Do us all a favor and go back to Sam's Boat.
Bulgakov??? you old SOB, you finally got out of jail on that inappropriate kid touching charge?
Stopped in for a while Sunday evening. Anvil is a bar Houston should be proud of. Great drinks and a passionate staff. It's maybe expensive if you're used to knocking back $2 Lonestars all night, but given the quality of ingredients and the care that goes into the preparation of these works of alcohol-infused art, the value is high.
Also, yes, the number of bartenders in this city who don't know how to make a Manhattan is disturbingly high. I once had one give me a drink made with coke and vodka. WTF? It's not like it's an obscure drink.
this is a long time coming. nice to see. metered line sounds like a novel investment in longevity/staying power for our fair city.
I tried to like this place after a poor experience the first time. I returned with a friend who asked me to go with her. Different liquors, fresh juices are always a good start however the resulting drink just disappointed me again. Following a drink recipe is one thing, making a good drink is another. I ordered a Bronx and received a drink with way too much OJ and way too little gin. A knowledgable bartender would only put a hint of OJ in, not ounces! For those who like fruity drinks, this is the place for you.
Wondrich's recipe for the Bronx is 2 oz gin, 1 oz OJ, .5 teaspoon French vermouth and .5 teaspoon Italian vermouth. Degroff's is 1.5 oz gin, .5 oz French vermouth, .5 oz Italian vermouth, 1 oz. OJ. Different proportions, but they agree it should be shaken well, so very cold, and around 1/3 orange juice. OJ tends to dominate any drink it's in. This is not a boozy-tasting cocktail. In fact, it's juicy. I agree with David Embury: "There are few cocktails the recipes for which differ as widely as this one.... At the best, however, you will be able to produce only a fairly good cocktail--nothing to brag or write home about."
I haven't been to Anvil so I can't comment on the place, but judging it on its Bronx is like saying a steakhouse sucks because its iceberg salad was disappointing.
That's the issue with using recipes. All of them aren't good. OJ can dominate a drink if too much is put in. Most good bartenders have tasted their product whether at home or after hours and usually have an idea on proportions and how liquors mix. Not sure that happened in this case.
Since I went prior to my review here and stated that in the review, I'm not solely basing my comments on the Bronx I had my ultimate time.