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Bartender: Louis Breno

Where: Et Voila, 5120 MacArthur Blvd. NW

Mystery Ingredient: Soy sauce

Bartender Response: “I love soy sauce…on sushi,” Breno said. But how to use it in a cocktail? That took some thought.

What We Got: A bloody mary upgraded with lobster consommé and a touch of soy sauce. “Let’s use French vodka,” Breno said as he brainstormed, soon deciding to go for a French-Asian bloody mary. Why the lobster? Breno said he wanted to “break a little bit of saltiness of the soy sauce.” Unless you happen to keep lobster consommé in your fridge, maybe don’t try this one at home.

How It Tasted: Hello, lobster! The rich consommé’s fishy flavor dominated this bloody mary. Its saltiness tamed, the soy sauce was relegated to an aftertaste.

Improv Points (1 to 5): 2. We like soy sauce for its salty umami kick, so it was a shame the tomato and lobster overpowered it. While this drink would be great alongside Et Voila’s bacon, Gruyère, and egg sandwich, I wish it hadn’t taken the obvious savory route.

Recipe:
1/2 ounce of lobster consommé
1 ounce of Grey Goose vodka
1 1/2 ounce of Bloody Mary mix

Combine the ingredients, and shake well with ice. Strain it into a tumbler. Garnish with celery and lemon.

Photo by Adele Chapin