Stirred & Shaken: Polk Street Pub's Houston Tycoon

Troy Fields

It's a strange scene when you have groups of Houstonians at a bar experiencing collective joy at the success of a Dallas-area sports team, but that's the power of New York Yankee hatred. It's stronger than love and most kinds of sexual attraction, and it's definitely more compelling than any reluctance you might feel to pull for the Rangers. A couple groups of pinstripe loathers gathered around the bar at Polk Street Pub (1201 San Jacinto, 713-652-4044) to watch Game 4 of the ALCS.

I dragged my friend Mike to the shiny new gastropub, despite his indifference toward baseball. After a couple beers and a house cocktail featuring bourbon and orange juice called a Houston Tycoon (the citrus and whiskey work surprisingly well together), it got harder to divide my attention between the TV behind the bar and our conversation.

When the Rangers started putting the game out of reach with a couple of home runs in the ninth, Mike was talking about a low-carb diet he's on. My focus slipped for a minute, and I tuned back in to hear him say, "I'd kill a man for a piece of garlic bread." I probably wouldn't kill anyone, but give me enough bourbon and I might consider shoving a stranger if it somehow ensured a Yankee loss.

Polk Street Pub's Houston Tycoon

• 1½ ounces Maker's Mark bourbon
• ½ ounce triple sec
• A few squeezes of fresh orange juice
• Splash ginger ale

Combine ingredients and shake briefly over ice. Serve over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange slice.