CHANGE MY LOCATION
Meet your mixologist - Jake McClain
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: SAN FRANCISCO
)
Jake McClain wears many hats at the Cigar Bar & Grill. He bartends, manages, and sees to parties along with the occasional dishwashing stint.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - In a saloon town such as San Francisco, the bartender plays a crucial role. Confessor, friend, sounding board — the man or woman behind the plank sees to it that our needs are met with elegance, grace and often wit. They see humanity at its best and most convivial, but also offer a nod and a welcome to the lonely.
But what do they see when they look at us? What are the tricks of their trade? And what lessons have they learned along the way?
In this Examiner weekly feature, we talk to some of our local bartenders to find out.
This week we decided to take this operation underground to the Cigar Bar & Grill, the toasty establishment near Jackson Square, with its entrance at the foot of a staircase.
There’s lot of things we love about this place. First, there’s a sweet patio (space that comes at a premium in this town); second, the domed, brick ceilings always make us feel like we are hiding out in the barrel room of some hidden winery.
And of course, there’s Jake McClain, Cigar Bar’s bar manager.
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, McClain traded in farm life for bar life. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently enjoyed a cigar on the bar’s patio. Was he high maintenance? Not at all, McClain said. He even brought his own cigar and sipped some simple bottle of water.
Cigar Bar & Grill: Jake McClain, manager
850 Montgomery St., (415) 398-0850, www.cigarbarandgrill.com
How long have you lived in San Francisco? I’ve lived here about six years.
Where did you come from? Reno, Nev. I worked at a private restaurant and a couple of casinos.
What was it like? Reno was really fun, especially in my 20s. Where else can you go to the corner store, gamble and get a hot dog, all at 5 a.m.?
What’s the best way to get free cocktails at a casino? At the Pai Gow table. You get seven cards and you have to make two poker hands out of those cards. For you to win, you have to beat both [the dealer’s] hands of poker, and for him to win, he has to beat both yours. You can literally play for an hour and a half on $20.
I’ve heard it’s impossible to get drunk in casinos because they pump in extra oxygen and water down the drinks. I don’t think that’s true, because the first time I played Pai Gow I almost got kicked out of the casino. I spilled my drink on the felt, which is a major faux pas.
Now, is this place really a cigar bar? I can smoke a cigar here if I want? Yes, this is an actual cigar bar, yet seeing as we are in California, we only allow smoking on our patio. But we do have a full humidor and all the accoutrements to go with it — an extensive selection of scotch and bourbon and rum as well.
What’s the best tip you’ve ever received? When I worked at Julius’ Castle, this guy from Texas came in (not that anyone there was a wine snob) but he ordered three bottles of Beringer white zinfandel and tipped $100 to the chef, $100 to the maitre d’ and $100 to me.
How much was the bottle? It was the cheapest one on the list. $24. The gratuity was higher than the dinner.
Since you made us a Manhattan, we’re wondering what you might put into a cocktail called a San Francisco. It’s such an eclectic city, maybe something with Grand Marnier, bourbon and some other accent to keep it different and unusual.
Featured recipe: Cigar Bar & Grill Manhattan
» Two parts Eagle Rare Single Blend Kentucky Straight bourbon (personal barrel to the restaurant)
» 1 part sweet vermouth
» Splash of bitters
Add ice; shake gently as you don’t want ice to break down and cloud up alcohol (should only shake a couple times, back and forth).
Garnish with a brandied cherry.
Comments from Examiner Readers
4:31 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 6, 2008 re: "Meet Your Mixologist: Robert Schramm, Slide"
Report as inappropriate
11:26 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 4, 2008
re: "Meet Your Mixologist: Janell Moore, Cantina"
Report as inappropriate
10:00 PM MST on Sat., May. 3, 2008
re: "Meet your mixologist: Karl Strandfeldt, McCormick & Kuleto’s"
Report as inappropriate
11:23 AM MST on Sat., Mar. 29, 2008
re: "Meet Your Mixologist: Robvell Smith, Rose Pistola"
Report as inappropriate
4:31 PM MST on Fri., Feb. 29, 2008
re: "Meet Your Mixologist: Tim Stookey, Presidio Social Club"
Report as inappropriate
3:44 PM MST on Fri., Feb. 29, 2008
re: "Meet Your Mixologist: Tim Stookey, Presidio Social Club"
Report as inappropriate
10:03 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 8, 2008
re: "Meet Your Mixologist: Andrea Campos"
Report as inappropriate
12:06 AM MST on Fri., Nov. 30, 2007
re: "Meet your mixologist - Jake McClain"
Report as inappropriate
E.B. said:
Yeah went to slide this last week - best bartender I've ever seen, the man is insane.
7 agree | 3 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Great article...great interview and interviewee. That's Oklahoma....not Texas. Hi...I'm a Bible. Janell's Mom
5 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
jossy said:
Just to let you know. The proper spelling of the last drink you detailed ia PICON. It is the name of the person who developed the main part of the drink--Picon--a bitter aperitif. Picon has been around since the mid 1800's. While Herb Caen may have had the drink it was around for many, many years prior to Mr. Caen. It is a traditional drink of the Basque and the Italians. Unfortunately, the French no longer import Picon. If someone makes the drink now, it is made with a poor substitute or they bring the Picon over from France.
6 agree | 7 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
It's true that Robvell is not only the best bartender in SF, he's one of the world's nicest people. Best time to try his special cocktails, however is after 10 on Saturday night when the action at the bar is still hot but the tourist crowd in the restaurant has died down. Then he might even make a Chocolate Love for you (if you really deserve it!)
16 agree | 14 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
It is great to see Mr. Stookey get some props. Regarding comments above: There may be good women bartenders in the city, but nobody M,F,TG or whatever makes a drink mike he does. Most of the drinks are not $12 (okay maybe $10), but such is life in the city. That's not much more than a lousy drink elsewhere, 1/6th of a parking ticket, or 2 trips over a bridge. I'd rather nurse a fine drink for 30 minutes than pay $15 for a 'green' movie ticket at the Sundance Kabuki any day... Tim can turn cheap liquor into a fine drink, but fortunately he is well researched and knows how to find a good booze for the buck. He is thoroughly unpretentious & I find it a nice change to have a well-made, well-presented tasty drink from a serious professional than the slapped together *&^%$# that most of the 20-somethings try to pass off for a $10 cocktail in this city. After a day of crowds, jerks in line, and all the other indignities one suffers to live in this city, a drink from Tim is very civil
57 agree | 49 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Michelle Lester said:
why are all the bartenders featured in this column MEN? I know alot of great mixologists (myself included) that are female!
45 agree | 58 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Concerned Examiner Reader said:
Peskin in a bar? How shocking! Was he using his cell phone to berate anyone?
74 agree | 68 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
As a blue collar working class person I'm absolutely disgusted by people who think it's hip and chic to sip 12 dollar cocktails. Paying that amount of money for a cocktail is just sickening, decadent really. Especially in a city full of homeless people.
183 agree | 124 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree