If you’re tired of the same old unimaginative drinks in non-descript plastic go cups, step things up with a fancifully festooned cocktail. Not only do the cocktails taste amazing, you’ll also have quite a show, as well as catching the eyes of the other bar-goers and being the top trendsetter. Be ready for people to ask you what you’re drinking and where they can get one too; throw your head back, whisper it like a secret and strut away. Here’s a few garnished drinks available around town. Life’s too short to get unadorned cocktails.
1. Shimmy Shack’s Best Bloody Mary in Town – This big Bloody comes with an amazing garnish featuring, but not limited to, bacon, peppers, onion, olives, cheese, a cocktail weenie made to look like an octopus with clove eyes, and an umbrella. This drink will take your bartender a few minutes to create, and I suggest giving a good tip for it. It’s almost a meal in itself. 1855 Dock St., shimmyshack.net
2. Daisy Duke’s Bottomless Cajun Bloody Mary – Buy one and they don’t stop coming! I’ve gotten up to four myself. This award-winning Bloody Mary includes lemon, lime, celery, okra and the rest as well as a very special guest, a crawfish ready to be peeled. You can also purchase their Bloody mix to make your own cocktail at home. Do you think you can top their garnish? 121 Chartres, daisydukesrestaurant.com
3. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant’s Shark Attack – This cool drink includes vodka, gin, rum, tequila, sour mix and “the blood of 1 innocent victim”, as the recipe reads. You’ll have a huge shark swimming around in your drink, but have no fear: he’s made of rubber. And you might find a few mermaids swimming around in there too. 701 Tchoupitoulas St., lucysretiredsurfer.com
4. Cane & Table’s Cane Street Swizzle – It’s not so much about what’s on top of this drink, but the vessel it’s served in. Your Cane Street Swizzle featuring Diplomatico Rum and the tropical syrup Falernum is presented to you in an entire pineapple that has been hollowed out and had the top sliced off. Hopefully you get a long straw so you don’t have to keep poking your palms on it. It is, supposedly, amazing with breakfast or brunch. 1113 Decatur St., caneandtablenola.com
5. Latitude 29’s Lapu Lapu – A drink for two, the Lapu Lapu was lost for decades. The recipe was never published since its conception in 1964, but it finally made its way back into the world of cocktails with a mix of rums, juices and sweet syrups. The Lapu Lapu is served in a large bowl with umbrellas, lime slices and lovely purple flowers. Many of Latitude 29’s tiki drinks are delightfully decorated. 321 N Peters St., latitude29nola.com
6. Arana Taqueria Y Cantina’s Champagne Margarita – Want to make your margarita a little bubblier? Arana has acquired some special devices that hang on the side of your margarita glass and dunk a small bottle of sparkling wine into your drink of Chinaco Blanco, Cointreau, and Limonada. It’s quite the show-stopper. 3242 Magazine St., facebook.com/AranaNola
7. Commander's Palace’s Goodnight Lally – It’s not “goodnight” if you have this caffeinated cocktail. Featuring Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Licor 43, sugar and hot coffee, it’s quite the pick-me-up after your big dinner at this New Orleans legend. Goodnight Lally is topped with a delectable house-made vanilla whipped cream that is sure to tame your taste buds. 1403 Washington Ave., commanderspalace.com
8. Appoline’s Deluxe Bloody Mary – This drink includes two shots of vodka, house-made mix, the standard additions of pickled beans, lemon, lime and celery, and the not-so-standard cherry tomatoes and a single boiled shrimp. This specialty is only available during brunch so you’re going to have to avoid sleeping late. 4729 Magazine St., apollinerestaurant.com
9. SoBou’s Sunset in the Courtyard – This is not a traditional garnish. Actually, it’s not edible, but it is something that you can take with you to remember your experience at this cute Quarter bar and restaurant. The Sunset in the Courtyard cocktail includes El Jimador reposado tequila, Solerno blood orange liqueur, citrus, pomegranate syrup made in-house at SoBou, and a pair of SoBou branded sunglasses that will keep you shaded during that sunset in the courtyard. 310 Chartres St., sobounola.com
10. Tiki Tolteca’s Escorpion Punch – This is one of my favorite places to disappear to. Located above Felipe’s in the French Quarter, this dimly-lit tiki bar is a perfect hideaway. So many of their drinks are garnished with fruit wedges, umbrellas, postcards or served in a cool cup. But the fanciest drink is the Escorpion Punch. This giant mezcal and tequila cocktail is served in a huge punch bowl to be shared with all of your friends. Just don’t get too close; there’s a real flaming volcano in the middle! 301 N Peters St., tikitolteca.com
