BAR REVIEW: Bar Madonna
Hotel bars are one of my favorite places to hang out, especially when traveling abroad on Holiday. There's something fascinating about the mixture of people that could be from anywhere, in town for any number of reasons, and, if my favorite literary genre (British spy fiction) is to be believed, a lot of espionage goes down in these intriguing locales, which is quite titillating. Additionally, they often have a warm and cozy feel, exemplified by some of my favorites such as Scarfes Bar in London and Captain's Bar in Hong Kong (I've long included a selection of hotel bars that I love in my Beyond Houston guide). Since I don't do too many staycations, I don't get to spend as much time at the ones in our fair city. But I couldn't ignore the considerable hype around Bar Madonna, which opened about a year ago in Montrose (which, just like Ukraine and Arsenal, should never be referred to with a preceding "The", in my correct opinion).
The bar is housed in The Marlene, a nine-room boutique hotel in a restored neoclassical mansion on the Borderline between Neartown and Midtown. Making up several rooms on the ground floor, the atmosphere is quite intimate and romantic. Tucked away in a little nook was a man on the ones and twos, but honestly, judging by the chill Music coming through the speakers you would have never known. Skrillex or DJ FMAMJJASON he was not. We chose a spot at the bar itself, in a small alcove with a royal blue ceiling painted with white stars, crown moulding, and a crystal chandelier dangling above our heads. The vibe and menu are best described as Paris meets New Orleans, with French antiques furnishing the space, though the name comes from a large, two hundred-year-old painting of the Virgin Mary that adorns one of the walls.
One of the quintessential summer cocktails is a Pimm's Cup, and the version here was one of my favorite variations I've had, primarily because it eschewed the unappealing cucumber that is so prevalent in most iterations. This one included, of course, Pimm's No. 1, the celebrated British gin-based fruit cup spirit, with peach, basil, amaretto, lemon, and Topo Chico. Bursting with the juicy, sweet flavor of the nectarine (I know it's technically not exactly the same thing), our bartender Ethan, who created the drink, explained how he was inspired by family trips to pick peaches in Fredericksburg which they made into ice cream, and I would say he certainly did those memories justice. Others clearly felt the same way, as I'm pretty sure I saw more of these made than everything else combined, to the point where they had to eighty-six it shortly before we left because they exhausted the batched liquid. Each beverage on the menu here has an associated little description or aphorism below the name; this one read "Napoleon's favorite", and I've gotta be honest, I still haven't figured out what that means.
Pimm's Cups are famously associated with Wimbledon, and since this is going to be a shorter review (reading this back in post, it's actually not [surprise!], but whatever), allow me a bit of wholly unrelated story time. Many years ago, I was in Amsterdam during the final of that legendary tennis tournament, when American GOAT Andy Roddick was going up against the evil Roger Federer. My friend and I decided to put some stakes on the match, but what started out as a fun drinking game turned into a nightmare, as it ended up becoming one of the longest finals in history, lasting approximately five bottles of wine. I was so upset when my hero lost to the personality-less Swiss robot that I angrily flung the last bottle at the building across the alley from the apartment in which we were staying, and then belligerently accosted terrified Dutch passersby on the Kalverstraat, demanding to know which racquetsman they supported. Good times! Anyway, the Pimm's Cup here rocked. Hopefully they don't run out before you arrive.
Much more my normal speed was the Frenchmen ("Boozy and rich, just how we like 'em"), with rye, gin, sweet vermouth, Lillet Rosé (a French apértif wine), and bitters, served up in a Nick & Nora glass. This was essentially a cross between two NOLA standards, a Sazerac and a Vieux Carré, with 50/50 ratios of the two strong liquors and the two fortified wines. Delightfully spirit-forward, this isn't for the faint of heart, but it was excellently balanced with some fruity notes and a smooth finish. I'm guessing but did not get confirmation that this was named after the famed nightlife alternate to Bourbon Street, where jazz clubs run amok, though you can find a bar that plays real music if you are determined (I've made my views on jazz known before).
A solid take on a classic was the Wild Ouest ("Cowboy boots down the Champs-Élysées"), a margarita spin-off with tequila, mezcal, poblano, lime and a meticulously-applied Tajín stripe on the side of the rocks glass. I rarely order margaritas outside of Mexican restaurants (where I usually prefer Frozen) because it's hard to iterate too much on the tried-and-true recipe, but it was done well here, with a bit of smokiness and some warmth from the pepper, though it was very subtle. The chili-lime-salt powder looked cool, but I am generally not really a fan of granular garnishes, on the rim or elsewhere. The punny name and the accompanying pithy blurb notwithstanding, this didn't necessarily fit in with the France-cum-Louisiana theme, but that's ok I guess.
Devoted readers have probably noticed that I've written a lot about carajillos, despite being very much not a coffee guy. That's because my all-time QB of a date partner is a huge fan of the cocktail. She'll often Like A Virgin drink (why I sometimes include mocktails in my reviews), but otherwise almost always orders the Licor 43 concoction that is so in Vogue these days. I've found that this is a good way to compare bars in Houston (as opposed to say, Philadelphia, no offense to my fans in PA, but at least you have your scrapple), as any good bartender knows how to make a version even if it is not on the menu, likely due to our proximity to Mexico City, where the drink regained popularity in the last decade or so. Ethan offered a spin with added mezcal for some smokiness, but we opted for the traditional recipe, and it was delightful! Often the espresso component is overwhelming, but it was in perfect harmony with spiced vanilla aroma from the Spanish liqueur.
The hotel is so small that there's not even a proper restaurant, but there is a bit of food on the menu, including various boards (meat, cheese, tinned fish) and a tantalizing-sounding French onion dip with sherry vinegar reduction. Unfortunately, I was too stuffed after demolishing a platter of fajitas at El Tiempo (the Westheimer location, which is about 4 Minutes walk away) beforehand, so I'm unable to issue a verdict on any of the nibbles. Sorry.
This is an absolutely delightful little spot that I would happily return to, and, based on this experience, I might even consider booking a room at The Marlene at some point if my kitchen floods again, and I would recommend it for someone visiting on Holiday as well. My only major complaint is that there is no real sign, so I had to get creative and use a photo of an admittedly dope coaster as my cover photo, only the second time that something like that has happened on my site.
RANKING UPDATE: I'd been looking for new ways to expand my "best of" lists, especially on my Houston Drinking Guide... and Like A Prayer had been answered, this gave me the inspiration to create an entirely new category, which is presented below. In addition to its position on that hierarchy, I'm also slotting it at #17 on the overall Best Cocktail Bars list, knocking Botøníca (which I have a sneaking suspicion has actually shuttered its doors, though for some reason it's impossible to tell for certain) off. Behold...
Best Houston Hotel Bars:
- Bandista (Four Seasons)
- Bar Madonna (The Marlene)
- Augustine Lounge (Hotel Saint Augustine)
- Bar No. 3 (La Colombe d'Or)
- Z on 23 (Le Méridien)
Don’t get Hung Up on #5, it's largely a placeholder, as there's another spot in the Heights I haven't yet visited that's a virtual lock to make this list. And I know some people may feel like #1 doesn't really represent the spirit of this section, but I don't need to Justify My Love for Bandista... I'll always Cherish the evening I spent there.
NEXT UP: Perhaps Georgia's most notable restaurant named after the Roman god of wine and the drunken celebrations in his honor.