Know your Bartender: Maddie Manansala of Snackbar
Name: Maddie Manansala
Home town: St. Louis, Missouri
Bars where you have worked: Funkys, The Library, Lamar Lounge, and Snackbar.
In your experience, what is the most common reason to have a drink? To relax and take the edge off. Nothing is better than a cold drink after a long day of school and work!
What’s your favorite ingredient or flavor combination? Probably an egg white. It sounds weird but I love the consistency and texture it brings to a drink.
What is your most essential bar tool? The fruit muddler because it helps release oils from the fruit which leads to a more flavorful cocktail.
Where’s your favorite spot to sip in Oxford / your hometown? I do hangout at Snackbar, but if I’m drinking on the square it’ll most likely be City Grocery or The Summit.
What are your personal specialties? One on our menu called the “Old Manhattan,” is one of my favorites, mainly because it requires a little bit of fire.
What do you wish people would order more often? Less often? More of our craft cocktails and less martinis!
What drink do you recommend to someone who doesn’t know what to order? I’d recommend one of our highest selling cocktails, which would be the “Now We’re Talkin” or the “Seersucker.”
Most famous customer you’ve ever served: Katy Perry; Alabama Game 2014.
Who would you most like to have a drink with; where and what would you imbibe? I’d want to drink rum and cokes with Johnny Depp somewhere in the Caribbean.
If you’re in charge of the tunes in your bar, what music do you play? Summer hits of the ‘90s.
What’s the best live band you’ve seen in Oxford? The Cooters.
Favorite movie of all time: Braveheart.
Who’s your favorite Rebel, and do you really ever go 18 MPH? Archie Manning and of course not.
Read any good books lately? Nope, schools enough for me right now.
Best joke to tell to a grumpy customer? There aren’t any.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in your bar lately? When one of our former coworkers was in town, he unexpectedly showed up to Snackbar in full uniform, hopped behind the bar, and started working. We found it quite humorous.
Where would you be if you weren’t behind a bar? Hopefully traveling the world. 
About the Author
Brittain Thompson Brittain was an associate editor of The Local Voice from 2015-2018, ex-journalism student, and bad noise maker from the highway town of Brandon, Mississippi.
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