unwhirly
Four stars for Red Star
I’d been to the Red Star before for food, but honestly I hadn’t even registered that there was a wholly separate bar area. And it’s cute! And not crazy loud! These are all things of the good.
Also of the good: the signature Red Star cocktail. It’s basically a lemon drop with vanilla Stoli and raspberry liqueur. I say basically because those things together create this entirely new, entirely wonderful cocktail. NOM.
(I’d be remiss if I neglected to mention the french fries. They are delish. I don’t know what it is about Portland that makes restaurants offer so many different kinds of french fried goodness, but I am not complaining.)
Review:
Yum Factor: VERY.
Cute Factor: It’s a little more dark wood and grownups for my taste, but the flip side of that is that it was quiet enough to carry on an ACTUAL conversation, so: win.
Hangsies: None to speak of.
The Verdict: When I feel like a drink, this place will be at the top of my list.
"While you can make creative, delicious drinks that don’t have a drop of alcohol in them, alcohol gives drinks more than just a buzzy boost for the drinker; it helps capture and convey flavors in ways that water simply can’t. But as Kevin Sintumuang wrote in last weekend’s Wall Street Journal, there’s increasingly an option available for those who desire a cocktail but aren’t looking for the boozy blitz of a martini: low-alcohol cocktails."
—
Lower-Alcohol Cocktails Catch On | Serious Eats
See? I’m a trendsetter.
LOVE this infographic!
fancy drinks (by fabio rex)
Hip Kitsch
I may have found the perfect beverage.
It’s called the Cherry Drop. It is pink, it is cherry-flavored, and it is DELICIOUS.
Of course, almost everything at the Vault Martini Bar looked fab, and not just because of the adorable 50s-style line art next to each drink category. Descriptions like “No, they aren’t the problem. YOU are.” (Apple Mojito) are so much fun they make you want to try everything on the menu.
We made it in for Happy Hour & couldn’t stay to sample, but we’re totally going back sometime when we have the whole night (and nothing important to do the next morning). Listen to me, I’m making plans for the hangover. This place must be special.
(And then we went to REI for drunken Christmas shopping, which was THE BEST IDEA ANYONE EVER HAD. The end.)
Review:
Yum Factor: BEST DRINK EVER.
Cute Factor: I love everything about this place. Well, except that I’m not 10 years younger and considerably more lithe.
Hangsies: None to speak of.
The Verdict: My new favorite bar. Just watch out for the hipsters.
