Month: July 2019

Maxim.com was way ahead of the cocktail curve when we highlighted New York City’s Dante and the bar’s “Ultimate Negroni” back in 2017: The 2019 Spirited Awards named Dante “World’s Best Bar” at a ceremony in New Orleans on Saturday, as part of the annual Tales of the Cocktail conference.

It only seems natural that the newly-tapped “best bar on the planet” would mix up the ultimate version of that time-honored Italian apertif known as the Negroni.

Dante, located in Manhattan’s West Village, also snagged Best American Restaurant Bar for the second time since it opened in 2015. There’s a drawback to dominance in that category—Spirited Awards rules mean it can never win that particular honor again. 

Dante beat esteemed American competitors like New York’s Gramercy Tavern, Better Luck Tomorrow in Houston, and Louisville’s legendary Silver Dollar. 

In accepting the award, Dante creative director Naren Young thanked patrons and said that for anyone planning a visit, they “look forward to welcoming you.”

The ceremony itself had an interesting Breaking Bad connection. Bryan “Walter White” Cranston, who recently launched Dos Hombres mezcal (to considerable fan consternation) with his former Bad costar Aaron Paul, gave some opening remarks in which he joked about how people said he and Paul should call their booze line “Methcal.” 

Which honestly, they should.

Atlas, based in Singapore, also cleaned up with Best International Cocktail Bar and Best Spirits Selection.

But what about Dante and that killer Negroni? We can’t close without once again giving you the recipe.

The Ultimate Negroni

Ingredients:

1 oz. Bombay Sapphire

3/4 oz. Campari

3/4 oz. Martini & Rossi Vermouth

Directions:

Pour ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice for 20 seconds to dilute. Strain into rocks glass over ice—ideally, a large ice cube—then garnish with orange wedge.

As Naren Young told Maxim in 2017, Dante uses “a touch more gin” in their Negroni because “the classic formula is too sweet and doesn’t make for a balanced drink.” Young also noted it’s a little less alcohol-heavy overall, clocking in at 2.5 oz. pour, which allows for “more leisurely summer day drinking.”

The 2019 San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) has been full of surprises. This may be the biggest yet: Natalie Portman will play Thor in Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. 

Chris Hemsworth even made it official by passing along Thor’s trusty hammer Mjolnir when she took the stage, via director Taika Waititi.

As Vulture reports, Portman’s taking on the role is a surprise on several levels, given that there was a perception she didn’t have a good relationship with Marvel following her stint as the Hemsworth Thor’s girlfriend, Jane Foster. Portman had recommended director Patty Jenkins for Thor 2, and after Jenkins left in frustration, she reportedly followed suit.

That’s all been swept aside, apparently. From Vulture:

Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi explained the upcoming film will borrow a plot line from the Thor graphic novel written by Jason Aaron that features a female God of Thunder. “For us, there’s only one person who could play that role and she’s here,” Waititi said.

As Portman strode across the stage, there was both glee and confusion from the 7,000 or so panel attendees in Hall H. Hemsworth handed her his signature Mjolinir. “I always had hammer envy,” Portman said with a mischievous smile.

No one will question Portman’s ability to carry a Marvel movie—the actress has a knack for action that hasn’t been put to good use in a while.

But what’s up with the plot of Love and Thunder? It might be illustrative to note that Hemsworth will also be in the movie as Thor, and Portman will play Jane Foster again, in addition to The Mighty Thor (yes, apparently there’s a difference between Thor and The Mighty Thor).

Confused? We’ll probably all have it mostly sorted out by the time Thor: Love and Thunder hits movie theaters on November 5, 2021.