Celebrating 25 Years of the Best Dry Martini in South America!

The Best Dry Martini in South America? Yes, I can personally attest to the supreme drinkability of the Vienna Martini for 23 of its 25 years! So Smoooth. The Dry Martini there is balanced, the temperature perfect! And as for mental health benefits and restorative properties, if you drink but one (or two) as an aperitif, your meal is sure to be rejuvenating and refreshing and that translates into long-life!

And at Restaurant Vienna, they are so confident in their skills they have created a Martini of their own; the Ancho-tini (pictured above left - the classic above right). Try one and then the other, gin or vodka. The staff bartending abilities will always shine through ensuring your appreciation every sip.

Austrian Owner Paul Stach studied hotelier and cuisine in Canada. It is there he learnt the fine art of the Dry Martini. And he designed and built the restaurant to exacting specification for the satisfaction of his customers. Since opening to the public April 7th 1992, the Vienna has been the epicenter of attentive service in old world comfort. Add The Best Dry Martini in South America and you have an evening that is worth remembering and a memory that will prompt you to return time and again.

Restaurant Vienna · Spirits Soar at 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level!

Altitude can be rather tricky so it´s best to take it easy upon arrival. Experts give sage advice of eating and drinking little for the first few days. The idea is not to tax your system as you adjust to less oxygen in every breath you take.

And in keeping with this sound approach I called to make reservations for early supper 7pm, corner table, Restaurant Vienna.

We began with a twist on the classic Dry Martini. An Anchotini is achieved with addition of rolled anchovies to the renowned recipe. The anchovies marinade in the cocktail then are used to augment an already superb Caesar Salad of romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and freshly ground black pepper... followed by a Consommé, a type of clear soup in this case flavoured with Spanish Sherry. A dessert of Fresh Strawberries adorned with Chocolate Mousse topped things off beautifully.

Add unequaled service, beautiful surroundings and a pianist playing nicely in the corner and your adjustment to altitude won´t include loss of appetite, weakness or lightheadedness. Really, there´s nothing better than having your spirits soar at Restaurant Vienna!

Restaurant Vienna

Address: Federico Zuazo #1905

Tel: 591.2.244.1660

La Paz, Bolivia

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Restaurant Vienna - Best Martini in Bolivia, Perhaps the Best Martini in all of South America - La Paz, Bolivia

An overwhelming majority of European and Latin American bartenders are under the impression that anyone who asks for a Martini wants a cocktail fashioned mostly from Martini—and Martini & Rossi is the name of a vermouth, no? So for many traveling abroad, it is difficult to find a classic cocktail that fits the bill. I've taught the Dry Martini to countless bartenders in sundry ports of call. All the effort put forward just to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail, provide another arrow for the barman’s quiver and for the benefit of the next weary traveler in need of a Dry Martini. One must do what one can in order to civilize an otherwise untamed world. The Classic is a mix of gin combined with dry vermouth in a five-to-one ratio. All that froufrou martini crap be damned (appletini, chocotini, etc.). That's all nothing more than candy-coated marketing for the uninitiated. The recipe of choice is really very simple:

• Cracked ice

• 2 1/2 ounces dry gin

• 1/2 ounce dry vermouth, Martini & Rossi or Noilly Prat

• Green olive for garnish

Preparation - In a shaker filled with ice, combine gin and vermouth. Shake well, then strain into a frozen martini glass. Garnish with olive and sip your way into something much more comfortable.

When you arrive in the city of La Paz there’s no need to teach anyone a thing. There is one oasis of cocktail sensibility. Just go to Restaurant Vienna! There the bartenders, admirably, practice the classic and its variations. They even have little onions if you'd prefer to go Gibson. And by the way, the plates and Mousse over fresh berries are fabulous, too!

So perfect is Vienna's Dry Martini that when they ask if I’d care for another, I respond with my grandfather’s maxim; “A bird cannot fly with but one wing!” Cheers!

Restaurant Vienna

Address: Federico Zuazo #1905

Tel: 244.1660

Central City- La Paz, Bolivia