Ladies and gentlemen, we have a contender.
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Bloody 'ell? Suffice to say, I love Bloody Marys. Maybe its the salt, but I crave them all the time (and no, its not the boozehound in me I'll drink a virgin one just as fast). I've lately been compiling a mental list of places that mix them up just right and unfortunately it seems like most bars either hate making them or think that you're asking for a splash of crappy pre-made mix over a vodka on the rocks. Restaurants generally fare better and in the list of top fives the ones at Ti Couz (on 16th at Valencia) come in pretty near the top, tipping things in their favor even more for putting a nice tasty prawn on there for garnish. Not only is the garnish one of my favorite parts, its actually an important component when substituting a drink for meal. The more pickled veggies the happier I am, especially when things get slightly exotic, say green beans or okra, though (again) bars tend to lag when it comes to this aspect and I hate having to go to a restaurant to get a decently garnished Bloody Mary. So, to get to then end of this ramble, a couple Sundays ago Franklin and I stopped in at Elixer for a little pre-dinner libation and though the make-your-own-Bloody-Mary-bar they have earlier in the day was all cleaned up, the nice bartender was more than happy to stir one up for me. Now then, take another look at the picture above and what do you see hiding behind that straw? A nice crisp strip of bacon. Not only was the actual drink perfectly seasoned and delicious, but they managed to put a piece of meat in it. I could have cried.