PUCKER UP, sweetheart. Actually, make that pucker up, sweettart — because one sip of the fruity, tangy cocktails that are popping up on your favorite drink lists and your lips will purse into a happy pout. As kids, we adored Sour Patch Kids and Smarties, SweeTarts and Nerds. Naturally, our palates have been refined as we’ve developed into discerning adults, but the marriage of sweet and tart still delights our tongues. Sweet and tart sippers usually involve citrus or cranberry and some kind of sweetener, be it simple syrup, honey, juice, sugar, or a sweeter alcohol. (Pass over the neon-colored booze that screams “you’re going to boot and rally tonight!”, please, and instead choose a cocktail with both class and sass.)
The Charlesmark Lounge (655 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.247.1212) may be the best-kept secret in the Back Bay, or even the entirety of Greater Boston. Nestled on the first floor of the Charlesmark Hotel, the lounge is a mélange of contradictions, somehow managing to be chic, comfortable, trendy, and a neighborhood hang all at the same time. Sit at the bar or head up a few stairs to recline in the futuristic/homey (see, contradictions!) lounge area, but whatever you do, don’t miss lounge manager Jefferson Ryder’s signature drink, the Dancing Bear Martini ($12). Inspired by the Grateful Dead and garnished with a rainbow skewer of Gummy Bears, this drink is a long, strange sip, indeed, a mix of Svedka Citrus, pomegranate liqueur, limoncello, and a splash of fruit juice. The Italian lemon liqueur is an unusual choice of mixer, since, as anyone in the North End can tell you, it’s usually enjoyed on its own, post-pasta gorge. Here it lends brightness and a hint of sour to a martini that’ll put a smile on your face at first glance. “I like to think outside the bottle,” Ryder says. “This isn’t your father’s martini, and that’s the thrill here. I like to create drinks that catch the imagination.”
Imagine, if you will, a magical place where you can shop for designer duds, then tiptoe a few steps across the room to tuck into an amazing meal. Shopping and dining — that’s like the mall food court, right? Wrong. The Achilles Project (283 Summer Street, South Boston, 617.423.2257), in burgeoning Fort Point Channel, is retail haven meets foodie heaven, as customers can satisfy their appetites for hip fashion and local, fresh ingredients in the very same place. The restaurant, Persephone, features a drink list that includes a special cocktail that makes interesting use of a particular tart little fruit that was enough to tempt Persephone herself down into the bowels of the underworld. (Don’t know what I’m talking about? Brush up on your mythology, for Zeus’s sake.) Yes, it’s sweet, yes it’s tart, and, yes, the name makes us giggle. The Obligatory Fifteen Dollar Chowhound-Predicted Pomegranate Martini (ironically priced at $9) mixes Hangar One Razberi Vodka and Orchid Pomegranate Liquor with fresh pomegranate juice and seeds. If you’ve never eaten pomegranate seeds, they require a bit of effort to get to, but they pop between your teeth with a burst of sweetness and a lingering tartness. Taking the tart a few steps further is the Spartan Sling ($12), made with Mark Miller’s gin, cherry-infused brandy, sour mix, Benedictine, and pineapple juice. It’s heavenly.
Another new kid on the upscale block is MKT (120 Water Street, Boston, 617.367.0658), which recently opened in the Financial District. MKT features rich, modern décor, and a creative drink list, including the totally far-out Lava Lamp martini ($13), which looks just the way you’d imagine. Ocean Spray Craisins float in a sea of Champagne and fresh lime juice, providing a tart little kick in the prissy pants. This drink hints (in a whisper) at sweetness, but takes your tongue to a place it’s never been before. Unless you count that one time in that club with that ... never mind.
Though it’s known as a place to suck meat from the bones of delicious little piggies, Redbones (55 Chester Street, Somerville, 617.628.2200) also features a stellar cocktail list that you may have overlooked in your haste to decide between Carolina-style pulled pork or Memphis-style ribs. While barbecue and beer are usually the combination of choice here, there are cocktails that go surprisingly well with piles of peppery meat. One of them, the Swedish Lemonade ($7), shouldn’t be missed, even if your fingers are too slippery from the ’cue to properly hold a glass. Made with Absolut Citron, cranberry juice, and 7-Up, the fruity libation gets its yee-haw factor from the addition of sour mix. Try this tart little guy between mouthfuls of the BBQ Hash Dinner ($8.99) or the nearly unconquerable BBQ Meat and Rib Combo ($14.99). Sweet! @
[Photo by Joel Veak]
