As much as we love to see bartenders recognized as the artists that they are, we shouldn't forget that the true measure of a bar is how well it masters the classics. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Drum Room, located in downtown's Hilton President Hotel. Whiskey, sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters shouldn't be hard to screw up, but you'd be surprised how many bars serve a flat, overly simple variation of the Manhattan that, when done right, is as robust and complex as the Drum Room's. And don't worry about looking like a Mad Men wannabe when you order it with rye. It's how God intended it.
