You've had a long day and you just want to unwind in a relaxing venue
with a truly well made drink. The Broken Shaker is Miami answer for
those bedraggled with the ennui of hitting up the usual venues with the
same standard list of cocktails. As the first pop-up cocktail lounge in
Miami, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Making my way to the Indian
Creek hotel, I was pleased to discover it was a short walk from the
public parking lot nearby (which is free after 6pm) that I usually leave
my car at when hitting up Indomania (my favorite Indonesian restaurant).
Whatever concerns I'd had about a haphazard and quickly thrown together
atmosphere, were immediately dispelled by the charming and welcoming
space. The inside bar is a bit like being a kid in a candy store. Rows
of various liquors, jars filled with colorful fruits and bitters, you almost can imagine stepping back in time to a funky saloon.
The courtyard outside is so beautiful, it's almost too perfect. A serene little fountain in the center serves as the focal point, with colorful leaves and flower petals floating lazily around the calm water. Around this, I envision the consummate scene for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party; strands of white lights twinkle like fireflies, a winding flower statue curves gracefully alongside the basin of water, and the lush greenery creates an oasis from the city. It's really an idyllic place to just relax whilst slowly sipping your handcrafted creation.
Although the do have a list of their own creations, their vast knowledge of liquor means you can also get pretty much whatever you'd like. For my friend, this meant ordering a Blood
and Sand. Previously, he had become completely enamored with the concoction, and was delighted to discover they were
more than happy to whip one up for him (and knock it out of the park). A classic cocktail inspired by the 1920's film starring Rudolph Valentino, Blood and Sand is a mix of scotch whisky, rosso vermouth, cherry brandy and orange juice. Once prepared with ice, the liquid is strained into a chilled glass.
One sip and I could immediately tell what had made it so appealing to him. Fairly mild on the alcohol front, it went down silky smooth. There was a hint of smokiness to it, and while it wasn't overly cloying, there was a decent amount of sweetness present almost like a caramel. Throughout the evening, this was his drink of choice, and probably would have been mine if curiosity hadn't gotten the better of me. I did come back on another occasion though to procure my own!
One of the best bars I've ever been to was in New Orleans, a mixology
bar where they would create a drink based on a mix-in or your personal
preferences for sweet, hot, and/or sour. I highly regret forgetting the
name, but I will definitely never forget the experience. I was hopeful that the Broken Shaker could live up to that place for me,
and since we had arrived fairly early in the evening, I took the
opportunity to have them mix me up something unique with the
"bartender's choice."
I selected basil and absinthe, a fusion of ingredients I love in a cocktail, that have the potential to be downright horrible when combined. Thankfully, the bartenders knew their stuff and managed to concoct a blissful amalgamation with some kind of lemon buffer to cut down on the strong licorice flavor of the absinthe. The aroma was no stronger than that of a well-prepared lemonade. The taste was fairly mild, although the basil was lost among the other partners, with a lingering notes of anise from the Absinthe.
Next up I requested a cucumber drink with whatever liquor they
deemed to work. My creation arrived in a tall glass filled with a resplendent opaque, lime-green liquid, which was topped with a thin layer of foam. Upon tasting I noted an immediate "pucker-factor,"
surprising since most drinks with cucumber tend to be a bit sweet. The
sour taste worked, but wasn't one of my favorite choices in a drink as the caustic nature overwhelmed any other flavors. My own fault though
for not being decisive with my preference in alcohol.
Finally, I decided to stick with one of their menu selections for
the week, the chai rum sazerac (aged rum, sugar and chai bitters). A sazerac is the quintessential New Orleans cocktail, with origins dating back to pre-Civil War. According to legend, it was originally served egg
cup known as a coquetier in French, and it was the American pronunciation of this that actually gave rise to the term "cocktail." Whilst we have evidence that indicates this is little more than folklore, it still makes for a nice story and perhaps leads to the mistaken idea that this is the first American cocktail.
Visually, the chai rum sazerac looked like a translucent version on the sunset. Cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of almond, I appreciated the complexity as my tongue struggled to make out different flavor components. However, after the the acidity in the previous drink, the contrast was a bit much, making it taste incredibly saccharine. I'm still not sure whether this was an artifact of juxtaposition, or the true flavor. Luckily though, this was my last cocktail of the evening, making it a perfect dessert.
Another high point from the Shaker for me have been their shots. On my last visit they whipped our group up a round, and while I still have no clue what was in it, they were incredible! Taste-wise, it was a combination of guava and cheese pastry, gingerbread and a hint of grapefruit. I struggled with the desire to sip it rather than just throw it back.
In addition to the libations, I've tried a couple of the "nibblings." The artisanal empanadas come three to an order, with your choice of sweet plantains and pork, curry samosas, or pear and brie. On my first visit, we ended up getting two orders of all three, our favorite of which was undoubtedly the curry samosas (they just had so much phenomenal flavor). As for the others, in the first batch we couldn't taste the plantain at all over the pork, however, it was more present in the second round. Also, the brie oozed out of the pear and brie like someone had tipped over a jar of honey. Yum!
My companion additionally ordered us the homemade dips which also came with a
choice of three (creamy tahini with hummus; spicy avocado; Indian curry)
and was served with crunchy plantain chips and doughy pita triangles. We went with two
of the hummus and the spicy avocado. A superb way to soak up some of
the alcohol!
If that wasn't enough to entice you, they've even got plenty of entertainment too! There is a foosball table and ping-pong area set up in the back, as well as a slew of classic board games. We had a
wonderful time playing Jenga (don't worry, we took great efforts to
ensure we did not knock the tower into our lovely drinks) while relaxing with the cool music. The
Broken Shaker is a fabulous discovery for you to kick back and sip some
truly unique cocktails. Homemade bitters, shaped ice
prepared with your drink of choice in mind, a rotating menu...better
come while you can to try as much as possible from this innovative
group!
The Broken Shaker at the Indian Creek Hotel
2727 Indian Creek Dr
Miami Beach, FL 33140
You can also follow them on twitter @TheBrokenShaker
The courtyard outside is so beautiful, it's almost too perfect. A serene little fountain in the center serves as the focal point, with colorful leaves and flower petals floating lazily around the calm water. Around this, I envision the consummate scene for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party; strands of white lights twinkle like fireflies, a winding flower statue curves gracefully alongside the basin of water, and the lush greenery creates an oasis from the city. It's really an idyllic place to just relax whilst slowly sipping your handcrafted creation.
One sip and I could immediately tell what had made it so appealing to him. Fairly mild on the alcohol front, it went down silky smooth. There was a hint of smokiness to it, and while it wasn't overly cloying, there was a decent amount of sweetness present almost like a caramel. Throughout the evening, this was his drink of choice, and probably would have been mine if curiosity hadn't gotten the better of me. I did come back on another occasion though to procure my own!
I selected basil and absinthe, a fusion of ingredients I love in a cocktail, that have the potential to be downright horrible when combined. Thankfully, the bartenders knew their stuff and managed to concoct a blissful amalgamation with some kind of lemon buffer to cut down on the strong licorice flavor of the absinthe. The aroma was no stronger than that of a well-prepared lemonade. The taste was fairly mild, although the basil was lost among the other partners, with a lingering notes of anise from the Absinthe.
Visually, the chai rum sazerac looked like a translucent version on the sunset. Cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of almond, I appreciated the complexity as my tongue struggled to make out different flavor components. However, after the the acidity in the previous drink, the contrast was a bit much, making it taste incredibly saccharine. I'm still not sure whether this was an artifact of juxtaposition, or the true flavor. Luckily though, this was my last cocktail of the evening, making it a perfect dessert.
In addition to the libations, I've tried a couple of the "nibblings." The artisanal empanadas come three to an order, with your choice of sweet plantains and pork, curry samosas, or pear and brie. On my first visit, we ended up getting two orders of all three, our favorite of which was undoubtedly the curry samosas (they just had so much phenomenal flavor). As for the others, in the first batch we couldn't taste the plantain at all over the pork, however, it was more present in the second round. Also, the brie oozed out of the pear and brie like someone had tipped over a jar of honey. Yum!
The Broken Shaker at the Indian Creek Hotel
2727 Indian Creek Dr
Miami Beach, FL 33140
You can also follow them on twitter @TheBrokenShaker
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