Vancouver Hotels Toast Olympic-Inspired Cocktails

Athletes aren’t the only ones taking centerstage at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

Bartender at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver preparing their Olympics-inspired cocktail The Torch made with real red peppers and Ruby Red Absolut vodka

Several of the city’s luxury hotels are serving up Olympic-inspired cocktails that deserve gold-medal praise for their taste, ingredients, and presentations.

Top cocktail contenders include:

Shangri-La Vancouver’s The Oh Canada (which was one of my favorites during my cocktail tasting trip to Vancouver this past week) made with Sortilege maple whiskey, dark rum, spiced Canadian maple syrup (with cinnamon, vanilla beans, and Thai chilies), homemade bitters mixture, and fresh lemon and orange juices served in a chilled martini glass.

The Shangri-La also has a winner with its After the Celebration cocktail made with iceberg vodka (infused with celery, lemon, cucumber, and asparagus), house-made Caesar mix, lemon juice, and house-made flavored Worcestershire (with onion, garlic, Thai chilies, and balsamic vinaigrette). This drink is probably one of the best “Bloody Marys” I have tasted. What makes it a winner is the house-made Worcestershire that gives the cocktail the right amount of spice, and also its large-size, extra cold ice cubes that melt slower than normal ice cubes.

Tip: Monday through Friday, the Shangri-La serves complimentary appetizers including:

- Prosciutto and asparagus risotto balls.
-Braised short-ribs on sourdough crostini. (In my opinion, this is the star of the appetizer tray.)
-Vietnamese mandarin salad.
-Strip-loin (New York steak) with Cabrales blue cheese.
-Mini-rolls stuffed with shredded chicken.

Another Shangri-La tip: One menu item not to be missed is their Black Truffle Pizza “smothered” with a sauce made with truffle peelings, truffle oil, and water and topped with  Fontina cheese.

The Torch at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is also winner. It’s made with muddled red pepper, Absolut Ruby Red vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, ginger ale, and a red pepper garnish.

Tip: If you time it right, you might see athletes walking through the hotel’s lobby. And, if you are a guest staying at the hotel, you can “rent” one of the hotel’s dogs Mavis and Beau who rest by the concierge’s desk and are ready for a walk anytime of the day.

The Fairmont Whistler's Triple Lutz cocktail is all things Canada with Canadian gin, vodka, blackberries, maple syrup, and ice wine

The Fairmont Whistler’s top cocktail is the Triple Lutz (created to honor the triple lutz figure skating move invented by Canada) made with Canadian ingredients including Vancouver Island Victoria Cellars gin, Crystal Head vodka from Newfoundland, whiskey-infused Quebec maple syrup, and fresh blackberry mash. What sets this drink apart is its finishing touch: ice wine foam on top.

Tip: The Fairmont Whistler is a great spot to watch the Olympic games on its big-size TVs in its lobby bar, which also has photo-worthy views of the mountains.

Photo credits: Lisa Davis