Pravda: All Hail the Martini
We don’t want to ignore main trends but at the same time we have enough confidence to say we want to be a classic bar with an emphasis on vodka.
It’s around 3 pm, and you’re starting to consider where to grab that post-work drink when the clock strikes 5 pm. You don’t need a loud, clubby atmosphere, but a run-of-the-mill dive bar won’t really work either. Something quaint, yet sophisticated. Sexy, but still fun. Oh, and vodka. Lots, and lots, of vodka.
Look no further.
Pravda, a subterranean vodka-centric Russian bar in SoHo, takes great pride in their extensive selection of vodka from around the world. And with all of that prized, clear nectar, comes an exquisite cocktail list consisting mostly of hand-crafted martinis, named appropriately for the post-socialism chic look that Pravda proudly boasts.
Their real claim to fame? House-infused vodkas that accompany several of the martinis on this coveted list. Citrus, horseradish, cornichon, fig, ginger... the list goes on. And while many vodka brands mass produce these same flavors, the people at Pravda have decided to take that matter into their own hands and concoct some truly above and beyond infusions.
“We always want to be recognized as a classical cocktail bar,” says Ana Optiz, co-owner of Pravda. Her and her business partner, Keith McNally, sought out one of the world’s most well-known bartending legends — Dale DeGroff — to design their cocktail menu to ensure it would truly shine. “We never wanted to be the place that has all of the fruity umbrella drinks on the menu; we don’t want to ignore main trends but at the same time we have enough confidence to say we want to be a classic bar with an emphasis on vodka.”
While all of the martinis at Pravda are worth noting, it is the ones made with their house-infused vodkas that really steal the show. Sitting at the bar, I struck up a conversation with Joe, one of the head bartenders at Pravda. To get a true feel for just how great these martinis are, Joe recommended I try The Gogol — made with horseradish vodka, dill, and a pickled quail egg — and the caviar martini — made with a cucumber and dill vodka and a spoon of caviar. The pickled quail egg in The Gogol was the perfect accompaniment to the hot and spicy horseradish vodka, and the hint of brininess in the caviar martini brought a refreshing saltiness that I didn’t expect. I could almost taste the Old Country. Hats off to you, Joe.
The most stand out part of these cocktails really shows in the tiny details that were incorporated to give them an authentic Russian feel. Sure, they were made with vodka, an obvious nod to the country itself. But a pickled quail egg? Vodka infusions? Caviar? Oh, and a basket of house made potato chips served with a caviar dip (complimentary during happy hour)? Pravda is a true homage to Russia, in every sense of the word.
Especially the vodka word.
