Rum House Gets Specific

The Rum House, the old Times Square dive now taken over and spruced up by the Ward II crew, has released its cocktail menu. There's a list of rum drink, as previously promised. But another interesting aspect is the specificity with which the classics are offered. They taste war over Martinis (gin or vodka) and Old Fashioneds and Manhattans (rye or Bourbon) has dragged for eons without any of the new bars putting the predilections of the customer before those of the mixologist and/or owner. Not here. See below:

Old Fashioned 
Rye: Jim Beam ($12) or Templeton ($14)
Bourbon: Johnny Drum ($12) or Maker’s Mark ($14)

Manhattan 
Rye: Jim Beam ($12) or Templeton ($14)
Bourbon: Johnny Drum ($12) or Maker’s Mark ($14)

Martini 
Vodka: Luksowa ($12) or Ketel One ($14)
Gin: Beefeater ($12) or Plymouth ($14)

French 75/76 
Gin (75) or Vodka (76)
$12

Can you imagine the minutes of superfluous back and forth between the bartender and the patron that this will eliminate. Kinda genius in a way. One gripe: Cognac should be an option for the French 75.

Below are the rum cocktails, a nice accessible selection that I think will ensure that people will actually order them:

Rum Cocktails 
Tortuga (a Ward III classic)
Monte Cristo 12yr Dark Rum, Muddled Lime, Lemon and Orange, Fresh Cinnamon, and Muddled with
Candied Ginger
$12

Rum Old Fashioned Banks 5 Island Rum
$13

Dark & Stormy Rum: Gosling’s ($12) or Ron Zacapa ($14)

Mai Tai Chairman’s White & Dark Rum
$13

Mojito Montecritso White
$13