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Katie Stipe, the lovely bartender at Clover Club and top-shelf tequila den Mayahuel, talked to us about horrible cocktails, bartender humor and whether it's good to walk into a bar and say "make me something." We also think she looks like Charlize Theron. In fact, the first time we went to Clover Club, about a year ago, Katie was behind the bar and she looked so nice we felt embarrassed about ourselves. But then we dressed more nicely the next time we went. Anyway!
How did you get into bartending?
I grew up in Vegas and was a dancer my whole life, but I chose not to be a showgirl, which is how I ended up in New York. I did a little bit of musical theater, but obviously I ended up walking into bars and asking for work so I could pay my bills.
You started at Flatiron Lounge, right?
Yes, I started there about five or six years ago as a cocktail server, but eventually asked Julie [Reiner] if she'd teach me how to bartend, and, being a female bartender, she was all for creating more female mixologists. Although classic bartending is really athletic, which can be like being on stage, so I found little ways to tie it to my past performing experience.
Can you prophesize the future of cocktail trends?
Bitters and amaros. There's also this one gentleman, Eric Seed, who's reviving beautiful liquors and eau de vies, like crème de violette, which are really fun tools to work with.
Worst cocktail trend in recent memory?
We've been fighting pretty hard to eliminate infused-vodka drinkers in our world. If you're going to use vodka, use a pure infusion—a real fruit instead of a Stoli or a Smirnoff infusion. We love educating people—I love when people come in and say, "I trust you, this is what I like, just make me something."
What's the last drink you had?
A margarita at Mayahuel. The margarita is made improperly very often, but we use a great blanco tequila. And I like salt.
Is there a cocktail that's more annoying to make than the others?
Well-crafted cocktails take more time than just pouring a shot of vodka and getting some tonic, but then there are certain cocktails like the Ramos Gin Fizz, a beautiful old New Orleans classic, which is supposed to be shaken for 10 minutes. So if the bar is slammed you have to regroup before you blow out your arm. It's a joke among bartenders to go in and order one.
Is there a Clover Club bartender dress code?
Bartenders' wardrobes have really changed in general—it used to be that we wore all black, but then with Sasha Petraske and Milk & Honey, where the bartenders had such classic style and were really dressed handsomely, people started to catch on. It changes the way you look at the bartender, so you think, "Oh, this person is wearing this beautiful costume" almost, and it ends up being part of the presentation.
What's the grossest drink you've been asked to make?
I've had a few circumstances where people bring printouts or show a recipe on their Blackberries, and the drinks are heinous. There's this older gentleman who came in with some recipe that was called, like, A Long Walk Off a Short Bridge, which looked worse than a Long Island Iced Tea. I said, "OK, maybe I'll steer you in another direction."
Favorite NYC bars?
For cocktail bars, Death & Co., Clover Club and Mayahuel. For non-cocktail bars, Jake Walk and Prime Meats—I was there last night, and they have a great beer selection, too.
What was the first drink you ever had?
I definitely remember being in grade school, having friends over and shuffling through my parents' liquor cabinet to take random sips from liqueurs that'd been sitting there for decades.
Is there a perfect way to order a drink?
Go in with an open mind, understanding what the place has to offer. Going into a place like Clover Club and asking for a vodka tonic is like going into Daniel and asking for a cheeseburger. My biggest pet peeve is when people walk in and don't even open the menu, which means they don't really care where they are.
What's the NYC cocktail scene missing?
What I'd like to see is great food and great cocktails at the same place. A restaurant and bar where the cocktails and food are equally good. And that has great wine and beer.
Photo by Michael Harlan Turkell
What other people are saying...
saraht - September 3, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Clover Club use to not serve vodka drinks, anyone know if thats changed?
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