Further evidence that the DIY cocktail trend is taking hold: East Hampton, NY, bistro Nick & Toni’s is offering “The Board” as part of its brunch cocktails lineup. The “do-it-yourself” Bloody Mary kit serves two to four people and costs $29.
Guests choose the liquor, from Absolut vodka; house-infused sweet pepper, onion and basil infused Absolut; house-infused hot pepper and peppercorn Absolut; or Maestro Dobel tequila. For mixers, customers can opt for Nick & Toni’s organic Bloody Mary mix or Knudsen’s organic tomato juice.
Snack or garnish options that come with The Board might vary with the season but typically include Horman’s Best pickles and stuffed olives; fresh carrots; cucumber and red peppers; ciliegine mozzarella balls and mortadella cubes. Condiments offered include horseradish, Old Bay seasoning, Cholula sauce, Tabasco sauce, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Nick & Toni’s began offering the Bloody Mary boards this past September. The program is a seasonal brunch offering that runs after Labor Day to around Memorial Day, “so they will end for the season when brunch ends and will be back in the fall,” says general manager Carolyn Papetti.
Why the Bloody Mary? “Most people look for Bloody Marys or Mimosas at brunch, and the Bloody Mary had more customizable components, as well as ones that we could change up,” Papetti says. “It’s interactive and fun.”
Many guests can be particular about how they like their Bloodies, and they appreciate that The Board lets them customize the cocktail. Nick & Toni’s has seen “a significant increase in sales of the boards since we began,” Papetti says, “as well as an increase in overall brunch numbers and more and more regulars who keep coming back.”