Sometimes in nightlife you’ll meet people that are cool, but not that nice. Or you will meet people that will talk fancy drinks drinks and spirits, but that you might not hang out with if you weren’t at the same bar. Darin Rubell, the owner of Drexler’s and Boulton & Watt, among others, is that rare breed that puts the life in nightlife.
Rubell’s venues make you feel at home with a level of class that far surpasses a dive bar and without the pretentiousness that can be so off-putting about a nightclub. And Beverage Director Dustin Olsen is an amiable, get-along-with-anyone type, who is a true pro. He also mixes heavenly concoctions at the industry stalwart Holiday Cocktail Lounge. This guy knows his stuff and is one of those rare beverage directors capable of creating a cocktail menu balancing different spirit.
Some bartenders won’t serve vodka because of a perceived lack of flavor
Interview with Drexler’s & Boulton & Watt’s Darin Rubell
I tasted though some of Dustin’s creations with Darin at Drexler’s over the course of a candid interview covering everything from drinks, life and the state of the East Village. Our discussion began with one of my favorite questions: “What are we drinking?”
After sheepishly admitting my favorite spirit is vodka, Dustin brought out a Beat Surrender, a Stoli vodka cocktail mixed with fig preserves, angostura bitters, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It was sneakily strong and the real dealmaker was the champagne.
“You wanna know the funniest thing?” asked Darin. “Vodka is the most popular spirit at any bar or restaurant I’ve ever owned.
Some bartenders won’t serve vodka because of a perceived lack of flavor (I disagree; it tastes like vodka).
So what about that large format cocktail Drexler’s debuted?
Darin: It started with this idea of an obnoxious cocktail.
Dustin: We wanted something somewhat self-deprecating, I think
Darin: And the truth is the name of the drink started out as the Trophy Wife. So we went really far to look for a trophy glass which proved extremely difficult to find. We found this one company in Massachusetts that got it from this one factory in China that didn’t speak any English. We finally got the one glass that existed and then debated on why Trophy Wife was derogatory and probably not the best name. It was 50/50 on whether or not to keep it.
Dustin: We found that there was another cocktail called “The Trophy Wife” at a club in the city.
Darin: Then we were done. We really wanted a large format cocktail, something sharable that people would see on the other end of the bar.
Darin: Instagram-able for sure.
Dustin: As far as what was in the glass, which is generally secondary in this case, there was a tiki element to it. I fused two cocktails called a Cherry Cobbler and a Fog Cutter. Like a lot of Tiki cocktails, it’s a bunch of juice, sugar, and rum. For me it was important that the cocktail was balanced and drinkable. You’re balancing out those sweeteners with different spirits that play well off of each other. There are moments to take risks and moments to make crowd pleasers and we wanted to please the people that are looking to have a good time with that sort of drink.Darin: The vessel makes a difference.
When opening up a new space, Darin explained how he blends the cocktails with the general vibe of the place.
Darin: Yeah, drinks should go with the bar. The design process and the process of how places should look and feel should relate to being comfortable in your environment. That has always been important. But it also has to fit into a larger scale and somewhat of a theme. I always believe that the more complex the design is, and the more eye candy people can look, gives a place depth and keeps you interested beyond the product. Someone could have a fantastic drink but if you’re in a room with four white walls, you’re going to have a very different experience than if you’re having that same exact cocktail in an articulately designed gorgeous mansion. I think it’s really important to keep that in mind with design, which is that people’s experiences vary greatly depending on the environment. Then it’s just a matter of going around and shopping. It could be visiting really cool random factories in Pennsylvania or looking around elsewhere.
And Darin makes sure to really search for the pieces he thinks fit best into the overall aesthetic.
Darin: For Drexler’s, we kicked it off the ideas with a trip to New Orleans. I think the inspiration always comes from either trips, if not trips outside of the country, trips to these little markets that have cool eclectic items. Then maybe you find one awesome item. Then the design could possibly be built around that one thing, you kind of have a center.
At this point I’ve finished my first drink and Dustin astutely notices that my glass is empty. He offers me a preview of an upcoming cocktail. The dudes good. He slips away to grab a bottle from the office for this Thirsty first look. The drink is so new the inventory bottles are still in their cases.
Darin: In terms of personality when it comes to your bar that’s what people look for, and if you don’t give it to them your fighting a battle that you’re going to lose. A good example (of how a bar takes form) is when we had the bar previous, Ella, and we wanted to do things very differently, but the people dictate what you are at the end of the day. We could want to do craft cocktails really slow, but then you get slammed, and people want to go downstairs and want more drinks, and you may want to be Milk and Honey but you’re not, because it’s not what the people want. I think one of the most important things in this business is to give the people what they want, because then you sell, and that’s the whole idea behind any business.
And Darin certainly knows how to give people what they want, having had success in more places than most people in this industry. So what’s next?
Dustin: Generally, I find that places that do really well when the people whose idea it was come at it honestly and if the inspiration is genuine. If it’s something they know, than it has a much better chance to succeed. We started talking about authenticity and about neighborhoods. This team also owns bars in Bushwick including Forrest Point which serves a bomb ass Milk Punch. We all agreed that being true to a neighborhood as well as the type of place that you want open is important.
I had to ask what they thought about the East Village. To me, it seems to have almost maintained a certain consistency over the last 10 years.
Darin: It’s changing. I think there is a tipping point right now. The main reason is when you have a diverse neighborhood, when you have low income housing lining Avenue D, and when you have slumlord type buildings spotted around the neighborhood, then you have some of the wealthier people coming in, you have a good mixing pot, and I think what creates a great neighborhood is just that. It takes are really long time for a neighborhood to like that to turn Upper East Side. Right now there is a lot of development going on and with that things are going to change from some of what people appreciate down here.
As we chatted, I sipped on Drexler’s new creation called “The Split Pair,” a blend of Johnny Walker Double Black and Lairds Applejack
Dustin: The “Split Pair” is an oblique blackjack reference, which I’m hoping someone will get.
The gambling reference was not lost on me in the end.
I finished off my time with Dustin and Darin sipping a Drexler’s favorite called The Duckhunt: Russell’s Reserve 10-year Bourbon, Calvados (a pear and apple brandy), spiced demerara, Angostura and orange bitters. Spiced Demera syrup is a surefire winner if you like a little spice in your cocktail and contains ingredients ranging from wild cherry bark to Szechuan peppers.
As I sat with the guys talking, there authenticity is clear. They are doing things for the right reasons.
One of the final questions I asked Darin was, “Do you do anything outside of the bars?” and his answer was a pretty simple: “Not much.” He likes to travel, but in his travels often finds inspiration for his projects. So entrepreneurs take note. Even in a traditional industry, in a saturated market, there are a couple things breed success: quality of character, a true sense of purpose, and being true to yourself will take you where you need to go. I asked Darin if he has an assistant to help him run his five concurrent businesses, and he quite sensibly answered, “No, I just have great partners around me.”
These respect-garnering character traits shine through at Drexler’s and the other properties Dustin, Darin, and their partners work on. So when you sit down at any of their establishments you will feel those core heartfelt values in the design of the bars and the drinks served within.
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