Cocktail garnishes can get pretty creative—dumplings, popsicles—but the new bloody Mary adornment at Buffalo & Bergen takes the cake. Or bagel. Behold: the Lox’d & Loaded, a spicy bloody crowned with a fresh-baked bagel and smoked salmon.
Barwoman Gina Chersevani is behind the creation, which will have its first run at the Union Market bar this weekend; we first sampled it at Washingtonian’s Brunch & Bloodys event, where it took first place in the cocktail contest. The base bloody is a spicy brew that starts with cooking tomatoes to intensify their flavor, straining the mixture, and seasoning it with “everything” spices, black pepper, horseradish, celery seed, and a generous amount of Tabasco. Vodka and lemon juice add booze and a bright kick. The pièce de résistance: a New York-style bagel, baked fresh every morning, spread with cream cheese and stacked with the traditional fixings and lox from a New York State smokery. While unorthodox, a swirl stick of bacon is always an option.
The meal-in-a-glass goes for $18, or you can take an eight-serving jar of the bloody mix home for $10. L’chaim.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
