#132: Maiko

The Bar

Maiko. 311 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701

Visited 12/20/18 @ 9pm.

UPDATE: Maiko has closed.

The Drink

Cherry Blossom. Hennessy VS, Absolut Lime, grenadine, Sierra Mist, lime juice, cherry. $9.

I have never in my life been served a cocktail with cognac AND vodka before; not even in my most degenerate moments as college student was I struck by the urge to cross those streams. Part of it is the classiness incongruity: Hennessy is of course the world's most consumed, most cross-cultural, and most rappable cognac brand, whereas Absolut flavored vodka is not really on that same level. I had also never really had much cognac outside of the occasional Sazerac, which I love. However, it turns out that the Cherry Blossom is a real drink, which you can find on Absolut's own website. Weirdly, Absolut forgot to include any of their own product in the recipe, but the bartender, who thought long and hard about my request, helpfully remedied that with the Absolut Lime, making a few other minor substitutions along the way. The result was strong but fairly sweet, exactly as you'd expect, with only the 2 citrus ingredients pulling against the sugars. Multiple trips to New Orleans have taught me to approach brightly colored sugary drinks as one would a species of Amazonian frog - enticing, but with a high downside risk. I'm happy to report that I didn't wake up the next day convulsing, desperately fumbling for antivenom, but this is kind of a tourist drink, no matter how impeccably and thoughtfully crafted. Next time I get a Hennessy drink, I'd prefer it a bit more minimalist.

The Crew

Aaron.

Notes

To my eternal shame, I missed this place the first time I was walking up and down Sixth. My shame only lasted about a year, until I figured out that there was also booze here, but still. Maiko's humble exterior belies the excellence of its food, most notably its mac and cheese. Yes, I know, it's a sushi restaurant that everyone who works downtown loves, but I don't work downtown, so I've never had a reason to stop in. Maiko has a fantastic rendition of the simple classic, with excellent white Cheddar and a sake reduction in the mix. Immediately upon trying it, it became one of my favorites. I'm sure the sushi is excellent as well, but that will have to wait for another time. The bar/lounge is split off from the more normal restaurant section, with cool Chinese lanterns illuminating the art over the brick walls. The whole place had one of those cozy, comfortable vibes that made me want to linger. It felt like one of those places where I could have hung out indefinitely, just chatting with the bartender, sipping on increasingly hallucinogenically-colored drinks until the sun rose, but this was the last stop on a long night, so eventually I reluctantly departed this overlooked gem for the world outside.