Whaling Station Steakhouse
763 Wave St., Monterey, (831) 373-3778, thewhalingstation.com
Few cocktails are so simple in concept yet so finicky. Even for those who prefer to limit the vermouth, there’s a perfect pitch when just enough is added. But the bartender needs to weigh the botanicals of different gins against the vermouth. And some at the bar have the gall to order vodka and consider it the equal of the classic. No matter, the crew at the Whaling Station’s bar can handle it all with great aplomb. When you sip a martini this good, you should expand your vocabulary, and maybe even adopt a more dignified accent.