Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood just got a new cocktail that looks like a dirty martini but tastes like a taco. At Titán, the new bar and restaurant, the Dirty Root pairs the briny spirit of a classic Dirty Martini with the pickled vegetables of escabeche, a staple of northern Mexican cooking.
The drink comes from Ivy Mix, co-owner and co-founder of Titán, and head bartender Sergio Sarmiento. Together they created the cocktail as a way to honor the flavors of northern Mexico while also giving diners a fresh take on a familiar request.
The Drink That Checks the Box
When customers walk into Titán, they often ask for a classic cocktail. Mix wants to be ready with something different. “There are certain boxes that I want to check, so when people come in and ask for, for example, an Espresso Martini, we can say, ‘Do you want to try ours?'” she says. “The Dirty Root was the Dirty Martini box that we wanted to check.”
The Dirty Root isn’t a direct copy of the original. It starts with bacanora, an agave-based liquor from Sonora, Mexico, paired with blanco tequila. Dry vermouth, carrot eau de vie, and carrot liqueur round out the base. The savory kick comes from escabeche, a mix of pickled vegetables that usually includes peppers, carrots, and onions.
“Taking a food element was not the point. The inspiration for this drink is all of the flavors of the north of Mexico.”
The Long Road to Carrot Vinegar
Sarmiento started experimenting with making carrot vinegar at home. He knew the root vegetables’ juice brought plenty of flavor on its own, but he needed a blend that worked with the cocktail’s mix of liquors. After trial and error, he settled on a blend of carrot juice, vinegar, sugar, and salt, with touches of turmeric and ginger.
Mix describes the final product as “earthy, savory, northern Mexico-style Martini.” The drink arrives in the glass with a bright orange hue and a sidecar of garnishes: a lemon twist, a pickled carrot spear, and a cocktail onion.
Why the Dirty Root Works
The Dirty Root has become one of Titán’s most popular orders since it launched. Mix says its appeal comes from the glass itself. “People definitely do that to this drink because the glass is sexy, it comes with a little sidecar, and the color is just really kind of light and beautiful,” she says.
The drink’s success fits a larger trend. In recent years, restaurants have been turning savory flavors into drinks, from pickle brine and MSG to flavors inspired by sour cream and onion chips, Greek salad, and brioche. The Dirty Root follows that pattern, but Mix and Sarmiento say they didn’t chase it.
“There’s this fad going on right now, which is fine, where everything tastes like food,” Mix says. “Taking a food element was not the point. The inspiration for this drink is all of the flavors of the north of Mexico.”
A Menu Built Like an Old-School LP
Mix and Delgado built Titán as a collaboration. Mix made her name at bars like the beloved (and now-closed) Leyenda and Whoopsie Daisy. Delgado runs Los Burritos Juárez in Fort Greene, known for its hand-rolled flour tortillas and long lines.
Mix approaches a cocktail menu like a vinyl album. Each drink should work with the others to form a cohesive story. She keeps a spreadsheet tracking flavors and spirits so she can cover the whole range of drink styles.
“When I make a menu, I have a spreadsheet of what kind of flavors we’re using, what kind of spirits we’re using, so I can see that I’m kind of covering the entire drink spectrum,” she says.
What Comes Next
The Dirty Root joins a menu that balances tradition and innovation. Mix’s approach to curation means each drink supports the others, creating a menu that feels more than the sum of its parts.
For diners in Dumbo, the takeaway is simple: when the server asks if you want to try the house version of a classic, the answer might be yes. The Dirty Root is proof that a familiar request can lead somewhere entirely new.
Source: vinepair.com