Martini—Popped, not Stirred

Patricia Verdesoto

The CornStar Martini at Bar Bonobo, a ’70s-era-styled Italian cocktail bar, offers a fun riff on the classic Pornstar Martini while over-delivering on a garnish and turning it into an accompanying bar snack. Developed by former beverage consultant, Gelo Honrade, the CornStar Martini features a few of the traditional hallmarks of the original drink: vodka, passionfruit and vanilla, then adds fresh lemon and the unexpected flourish of vanilla-popcorn syrup, made with butter, sugar and popcorn kernels.

“Aside from it being visually appealing, with the waterfall of popcorn cascading around the glass, the cocktail is a reinvention of a classic,” says Patricia Verdesoto, beverage director and general manager. “The PornStar Martini is loved worldwide—we wanted to add a fun twist to it. We make the truffle popcorn fresh throughout the night, and it adds a salty component to the bright, citrusy beverage.”

The CornStar is Bar Bonobo’s bestselling cocktail. “It is a good combination of salty, sweet, savory and tart. Initially, I think people order it because of the popcorn, but they are pleasantly surprised that the cocktail complements the truffle flavor as well,” she says.

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