It’s called the Direwolf martini. It’s a blend of vodka, sour apple, white cocoa and fresh lime, and when bartender Russell Prunty shakes up those chunks of lime with the other ingredients, the flavor explodes—kind of like an action-packed storyline from an episode of Game of Thrones.
“I was going for a big, open, fresh taste,” says Prunty, who has been creating original martini recipes at Sunset Station’s central Gaudi Bar since the Henderson property opened almost 18 years ago. “You know, the countries where they film that show, all the scenery has a really big feel to it. So that informed the concept of big-tasting martinis.”
Prunty pours at least one other Thrones-inspired martini, the Dracus—a complex blend involving vodka and tequila with fresh sour and strawberry purée. These are just the latest of some 300 original martini recipes this bar has come up with over the years. For Prunty, it started before Sunset Station, when he worked at MGM Grand and some female customers requested a Hello Kitty-themed drink. “Now I’ve got a UFC fighter who comes in and drinks a Hello Kitty pink martini,” he says, “and no one makes fun of him.”
The key element at Gaudi Bar is that most of the special, limited-time martinis are between $5 and $7, leaving plenty of opportunity to taste and taste until you find your favorite, Direwolf or otherwise.
Gaudi Bar Sunset Station, 702-547-7777. 24/7.