Adventure Served Up

Parisian hideaway offers a make-your-own-martini program

By Jen Smith / Photo By Jose Salinas

At Petite Boheme, anyone can live out their James Bond fantasy with a martini.

Located in the Arts District, Petite Boheme draws inspiration from the dimly-lit alleyways of Paris and their inviting boîtes, or small restaurants. Alongside one of the most interesting cocktail lists in town, discover a comprehensive martini program, where guests can choose from spirits to accoutrements to craft their perfect drink. This program, created by bar manager Jonah Gibbs, encompasses all methods of martini making.

“Martinis are notoriously difficult because they are so personal,” says Gibbs. “The martini menu is designed to have a [bone dry] level of vermouth to the dirtiest levels of olive brine.”

Select a gin or vodka to order, then choose a style and garnish. Several styles are available. Ordering a bone dry, dry or wet martini dictates the amount of dry vermouth flavor. A “perfect” martini equals a two-to-one ratio of spirit and vermouth, where the latter portion balances equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.

For olive fans, martinis range from slightly dirty to filthy. A Gibson-style martini is made with either onion brine or garnished with tiny cocktail onions. The classic “shaken or stirred” scenario is available, but Gibbs recommends opting for stirred to yield a smoother drink.

“A proper martini should be stirred,” he says, “[for] the velvety texture you get from stirring versus bruising the spirit by shaking it.”

Bar snacks rotate seasonally, but managing partner Keith Bracewell recommends a medley of house-brined olives for a classic pairing, or go bold with chicharrones or compressed watermelon.

Each martini is $26 and comes with a sidecar on a bed of ice. Watch out for caviar bumps, courtesy of Bjørk caviar, to join the sidecars in the coming weeks. petiteboheme-lv.com