Mixing Music

Cozy up to the bar at Austin’s historic Driskill Hotel

Austin, Texas, is known more for music than for martinis, but David Highfill has a foot in both worlds. For the past 26 years, he’s been spending his days stirring and pouring at the popular hexagon-shaped bar in the magnificent Driskill Hotel. At night, he morphs into drummer “Dave the Rave” and plays gigs at the Continental Club and the Saxon Pub.

Highfill, a Midland native, knows he’s blessed. Resembling a younger Al Pacino, he works the six-sided plank in a palatial hotel created in 1886 by a cattle baron with the imposing name of Col. Jesse Lincoln Driskill. Today, that historic hotel reigns as the social and business heart of the Lone Star State’s capital, and Highfill has a legion of followers who sing his praises loud and strong.

“David is simply the greatest bartender in the world, with this absolutely wonderful personality,” raves Bud Meehan, a retired Air Force man who volunteers selling tickets for the Austin Steam Train. “He makes the perfect dry gin martini — the real thing — and the trick is to drink it before the frost on the glass disappears.”

My first visit to the Driskill Bar (604 Brazos St., 512.391.7162; driskillgrill.com), a few years ago, left me with the distinct impression that it was filled with saddles on tall stools. The old memory is apparently failing. “We used to have two saddle chairs that swiveled at the corner of the bar, but we moved them when a guy was spun at a bachelor party and went flying,” Highfill explains. However, a custom multicolored carpet woven with stars, wagon wheels, the brands of massive Texas cattle ranches, and other symbols of the sprawling state serves to warm up an already charming and inviting cantina. The bar itself has a relaxed atmosphere, with overstuffed leather sofas and chairs grouped for conversation.

Like all pro barkeeps and musicians, Highfill has a favorite on his personal playlist: the spicy Bloody Bull, a Mary made with beef broth and tomato juice. “It’s nutritional and good for a hangover,” he smiles. Price: a fair $7. The Driskill Bar doesn’t do frozen drinks, he adds, but it has some signature martinis, including a bright delight called the Texas Orange Blossom. Highfill starts with Stoli Vanil vodka and adds Cointreau and splashes of orange, lime, and cranberry juice ($10). A chocolaty-rich Espressotini marries Seagram’s Espresso vodka and both Kahlua and Baileys Irish Cream for the same price.

The Driskill Bar is an oasis in a town of longnecks. Highfill and his night shift partner, Sean O’Burn, will draw a glass of locally brewed Live Oak Pale Ale for $5. Fireman #4 Blond Ale, brewed in Blanco, Texas, is also a five-dollar bill, and Guinness is on tap for $7. Thirty-two wines by the glass grace the wine list, starting with a Night Harvest house chardonnay at $8 a glass and moving up from there.

Along with drinks, Highfill serves a menu of food including grilled chicken nachos with guacamole, and blue cheese bacon burgers with steak fries. Tuesday through Saturday, prices on the bar menu are halved from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

With 26 years of material to draw upon, Highfill can tell a great story — an art he practices with discretion. He has met characters at the bar ranging from the legendary former Texas governor John Connally to actors Tommy Lee Jones and Michael Caine to author James Michener. His biggest thrill? When his music and mixology worlds meet, as on the night Highfill looked up from behind the bar to see old rockers like Davy Jones of the once-hip Monkees and members of the band Three Dog Night ready to elbow-bend.

The Wine Shop

This month, Continental Sommelier Martin Korson, beer and wine manager for Houston’s Central Market, recommends three California white wines.

Three Thieves Bandit Pinot Grigio, California 2006, $6.99 (1-liter box)
Here is your chance to have a great white wine at a great price and, because it’s in a box, do wonders for the environment as well. Light and easy-drinking, this pinot grigio just demands to be taken poolside or anywhere else glass containers are not allowed.

Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg 2006, $14.99
Crafted in the traditional Loire Valley style, Dry Creek’s chenin blanc is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh tropical aromas and bright acidity that have become hallmarks of this wine, which finishes with notes of melon, peach, and lemon peel.

Anglim Bien Nacido Vineyard Viognier, Santa Barbara County 2005, $26.99
Another up-and-coming wine is viognier, now popping up in many regions of California. This ripe, rich, full-bodied wine is a great alternative to chardonnay. Try it with grilled salmon or roasted chicken.