Whiskey Kitchen, Raleigh, NC

This is the second time I've gone into the Whiskey Kitchen and requested their best Manhattan, and given their name, you would think they would put on a show for me. They did not, and what amazes me is that even though I asked two different ways - once of my waiter, and once of my bartender - I got the exact same unremarkable result. This time, my bartender, a nice young lady whose name I forget,

actually told me she was going to delight me with this other guy's "famous" recipe. It was exactly the same as what I had a few months before: Jim Beam rye, Dolan sweet vermouth, and Agnostura bitters. I can live with Dolan and Agnostura, but Jim Beam Rye? Really? That is the "best" you can do? Come on, I actually see 12 different kinds of rye on your shelf and I see Cocchi vermouth teasing me from behind a few other bottles. This is really the best you can do?

She did a nice job on the presentation. Stirred affectionately with constantly sampling with a fresh straw to ensure proper temperature and flavor. But still, the result was unremarkable. The last time I was here, I actually had to coach my bartender what I wanted in my Manhattan, and he prepared it well.

When someone asks for your best, you expect nothing less. This is why I think requesting and observing the creation of a Manhattan is a simple but effective measure of a bar, and bartender.