Archive for the ‘Bloody Mary’ tag
Stanley’s Kitchen and Tap: The Bloody Mary Bar
Michigan Ave
Did you spend election night dancing in the streets? Does your head hurt from all of the excitement?
Well, whether you’ve been screaming in celebration or smashing things in anguish, I have a morning after cocktail “experience” for you – how about a bloody Mary the size of your car? That’ll fix what ails you….
Stanley’s Kitchen and Tap, has been dishing out soul food in Chicago’s Lincoln Park since 1993. The place is kitschy watering hole designed to feel like a ramshackle Louisiana shack (the pre-Katrina, Disneyesque version), complete with gingham curtains and Christmas tree Stanley’s has a full menu, a weekend brunch buffet, and plenty of high tops and big screens for sports watching. So go ahead and torture yourself with (insert name of Chicago sports team here) while sipping bourbon, and munching ribs. If you feel like a little heavy lifting, belly up to their “build your own” Bloody Mary bar for a Bloody Mary experience (yes, I am going to keep calling it that).
You begins with a Big Gulp sized paper cup filled with ice, 3 ½ shots of vodka, and a straw for your sipping convenience. Next, take the cup to the main bar where you’ll find every Bloody Mary ingredient known to man. Want Tomato juice? Clamato? Both? There’s plenty of room in that cup, so knock yourself out. I lumped horseradish, worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco into my cocktail, and finished it off with pickles, and a shake of black pepper.
On the way back to the table I grabbed a heaping plate of fried chicken and waffles, and settled in for one of the most pleasant (if not calorically shameful) breakfasts of my life.
I plan on stealing the “build your own” idea for my next brunch. Lining up condiments in a thoughtful way is very easy to 
replicate at home. It’ll get my guests moving, and keep me from playing bartender all day.
Now, how to replicate the fried chicken experience….
