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This Canadian girl is a big fan of our southern Neighbours and I try and get down to the US every second weekend. I’m always looking for the next best place to eat and drink and have finally found my match! Swim Club Wet Bar in Bellingham is my new favourite spot to grab a bite and fancy cocktail on their sidewalk patio. I had a chance to try then out for lunch yesterday and was completely blown away! The decor takes me back to Havana and reminds me of sitting at the bar at El Flordita drinking a fancy cocktail decorated with flowers. From the lights around the bar, to the gold cutlery to the metal straws, they have all got all the details down pat! The drinks? Out of this world. We tried the Swim Club Cocktail which is now one of my favourite cocktails, it helps that I’m a sucker for a gin cocktail and the orgeat sweetens it up perfectly, but that slice of dragon fruit is by far the showstopper. I actually had people walking by on the sidewalk stopping to comment on the cocktail! We also tried the Paloma Mi Amore which is a crowd pleaser for sure, not just your typical Paloma here folks! They have a drink list with 16 cocktails which made my heart flutter! I’m a sucker for cocktails so was pleasantly surprised! Now for the food! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect since I was imagining sitting poolside so wanted something light and refreshing, the menu fits perfectly with the theme though so everything matched up perfectly as I’d hoped. I jumped immediately for the ceviche since it’s a favourite of mine, easy to mess up, but holy! This was deeeelicious! So crisp and fresh, I had to get a little of everything on the plate in one bite,…. it was one of those meals that you take a bite with your eyes closed and just enjoy… no joke! They used rockfish which I love, and Bibb lettuce rather than chips to keep it light like an actually poolside treat. We also got the Halibut, I wouldn’t typically order a halibut when I go out but it sounded too enticing to pass up, and ohhh how amazing it was! The halibut was light and buttery that did not require a knife whatsoever, it was perfect! Paired with some grains and leafy greens with a red sauce and green goddess sauce that had a hint of anise that could make you drool. I was left drooling over the food and drinks and can not wait to get back there to try more! I can imagine they will be hugely successful with a food and drink menu that will satisfy them all! Be sure to check em out during happy hour too with some awesome specials!

The Tatarian – Menu with Prices – 4024 Tennyson St, Denver

Okay…. this place is a hidden gem. Came here for a double date night! It was a Monday night, but we were super surprised to be the only couples in there at 8pm! So I must say I started out a bit skeptical… But then, our server came over & presented the menus. The menus themselves are like works of art. Each cocktail gets its own page, and is named for and compared to a type of tree… all the cocktails are super unique sounding and creative. Our server was also super knowledgeable on the flavor notes of each of the drinks and was able to make recommendations based on which types of flavors we generally like/go for. We were definitely excited to experience the flavors… And then we got our cocktails. And were blown away. I tried a gin drink first, which tasted not too sweet or tart, but just right down the middle… the way I like it. My husband tried their spin on a tiki drink and was in love. Our friends tried a fruity vodka cocktail and a smokey whiskey cocktail – loved them both. We loved our drinks so much, we ordered a 2nd round… which was maybe not the best idea because I had to wake up at 5:30am the next morning… but WORTH IT. Not sure why this place was so empty, because it deserves to be full every night! But we felt lucky because we got the best service and the best cocktails around! Try this place out!

Juniper Restaurant & Bar – Menu with Prices – 185 Keefer St, Vancouver

Juniper crept up on my radar once it was suggested that it was the place for drinks after hours… with their cocktail menu and beautiful space, I was thinking this spot in Chinatown would be good. I feel the photos don’t do it justice. Right near Bao Bei and on the western edge of Chinatown, the place is beautifully done. We’re talking subtle relaxed tones of grey highlighted by vibrant blues and soft woods. Light filters in and it makes everyone look good. Need a first date spot… this would be it. There are many cozy spots and 2 dining spaces that you sit, sip, and enjoy in. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the bar area was filling up slowly but still allowing for nice conversation and chill moments. Service here was friendly and prompt… they were always trying to see if there was another drink to be had or something off their happy menu we would bite into. We primarily had eyes set on drinks as dinner was coming up else where. I did spy a charcuterie board pass my table and it looked really good. So taking a few pre-dinner bites is always welcomed. Painkiller cocktail – They do cocktails really well here… flavours first but never skimping on the alcohol. Sweet tropical pineapple with a citrus kick hits you first in your sip. The mellow softer taste of coconut, rum, and a subtle warm spice of nutmeg comes afterwards. It’s sweet but not cloying… the little umbrella makes this obnoxiously cute. 4/5 Black Beauty cocktail – This became my favourite after the first sip… darker garnet colours sits pretty in the glass. It’s not as sugary as painkiller but the blackberries keeps it fresh and sweet at first. Then the hit of peppercorn and something earthier creeps in… loved the spicier notes that round this out. The addition of egg whites makes this a creamier texture. They mention there is lemon infused vodka and more lemon juice itself… it’s subtle but it just gives it more of that summer nights cocktail feel. 4/5 Amazing drinks and a gorgeous atmosphere… whats not to like and enjoy.

Paloma Bar de Tapas – Menu with Prices – 805 Chestnut St, Chattanooga

We were very glad we tried Paloma. Large selection of Spanish wine, vermouth, cocktails, and beer. We tried multiple cocktails. The agua de Valencia tasted like a stepped up mimosa. Lots of fresh orange flavor. The Reina Isabel was a good summer drink, light and refreshing and easy to drink. My favorite was the Inquisition. Very balanced and delicious. It tasted a little bit more like a fall drink, but I could enjoy that cocktail any time of year. We also tried a variety of food dishes. The Mediterranean salad was great, with fresh burrata cheese. Think more of caprese than salad though. The octopus was exquisite! My wife was nervous, but it turned out to be both of our favorite. Not tough or chewy in any way. The shrimp came in as a very close second. Lots of flavor, extremely delicious. We wish it had four shrimp because three was a little bit harder to split, but totally worth it. The marinated anchovies were yummy, but we asked for some crostini to give a little crunch, otherwise it’s only one texture. The seared beef and red onion marmalade had nice pieces of beef, but I thought it was a little heavy handed on the pepper. The squash blossoms sounded good, but they were out. The only dish we really didn’t like was the roasted summer vegetables. Not a lot of flavor, just kind of cold and gloppy. Otherwise I would’ve given five stars. We will definitely go back to try more things.

Mulberry Bar – Menu with Prices – 828 Bloor St W, Toronto

Creative cocktails and a great ambiance. Marked this down as one of my go-to cocktail bars in Toronto. Drinks: Selection of drinks is extremely expansive, with a drink that would fit a variety flavour palettes from chasing sours, fruit-forward to booze-forward drinks while still providing their twist to it. Note: Should get some snacks from them while having some drinks. They don’t exactly have a expansive snack menu but it’s okay your coming here for the cocktails. Service: Knowledgeable, casual yet sophisticated type of service. My cup of tea. Present yourself with a bit of prestige on the surface but have a laid back conversation. Ambiance: Date spot, very intimate seating arrangement. Dimmed lighting with a slight Downton Abbey layout to it. They have more seating at the back however I do recommend sitting on the bar. Recommendation: Undoubtedly yes. If you want good drinks and a beautiful place to lounge around then this the place for you.

Vault & Vator – Menu with Prices – 655 S Main St, Greenville

What a fun place! I came here with my sister and Mom during a girls’ weekend. We were so excited to find a quiet space to catch up on a Friday night. We were immediately welcomed and seated. I enjoyed the booth seating. It was private and comfortable. The waiter was very knowledgeable and able to guide our decisions. My mom really needed a drink without bubbles and they were able to accommodate her. My first drink was a whiskey based cocktail with spiced pear liqueur. It was delicious, but a bit too sweet for me. I typically enjoy more Spirit forward drinks, so I changed directions. I explained to him how much I love smoke and that I wanted to try their Sazerac and he really made me an amazing drink. He filled a glass skull head with the already made cocktail and then proceeded to fill the rest of the glass with smoke. He then placed a cork in the top of the glass skull and brought it to the table. The smoke was sitting on top of the cocktail inside the glass skull head and looked so amazing. He then proceeded to do a “smoke wash” where he mixed the Sazerac in with the smoke. He then poured it into a glass for me. I’ve been to many cocktail places and have had smoked drinks, but I had never seen anything like this. I was very impressed and it was delicious. Bonus: they have happy hour where cocktails are $2 off. Quiet and cheaper around that time. Perfection.

215 Speakeasy – Menu with Prices – 215 Clematis St, West Palm Beach

Great little bar tucked in the back of Dorian’s. Drinks are always strong and tasty with great presentation. Vincent is a spectacular bartender! Love that there is a big selection of absinthe drinks and I highly reccomended going here to try absinthe cocktails. The other cocktails are great as well! No need for a menu here, I just tell vincent what liquor I want to drink or what flavors and he will make a cocktail to impress. Never had a bad drink from him. One of my favorite drink he made he crushed some ice to make a sort if flower that sat on the top if the glass, it was very pretty and a form of garnish I had never seen before, very creative. The ambiance is cozy, dark, maybe a bit romantic on a week day but we have gone when they had live music as well.

Fauntleroy MKE – Menu with Prices – 316 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee

Like a petulant child, I’d been pouting about Coquette being gone. But then I started seeing pics of the revamp of the space. Gorgeous – yes. Rock and Roll vibe – tell me more! So, finally, we (my partner and I) stopped by on a Friday night with no reservations, thinking we’d sit at the bar. Alas, the bar was hopping but tables were available. We were seated in the back, where most of the “older” patrons were seated and I’m still kicking myself for not asking to be closer to the lively vibe. C’est la Vie – it’s my own damn fault, right? But that’s okay. Our server was lovely and despite some of the other reviews, we had solid service. Onto the menu. We hade the Gruyere courgettes to start. They were lovely – lush, creamy cheese oozing out of slightly-overbaked shells. We were hopeful. We decided to order the halibut and the short ribs and share the entrees. Voila – out comes two beautifully plated “entrees”, lovely in presentation and small in stature. (Here’s where I disclose that I don’t like gigantic portions, but these were very, very small). But that’s okay – I can love a perfect bite or 4 of expertly prepared food. That’s not what we got though. The halibut was perfectly cooked, but the garlic whey ‘broth’ main note was salt and the “grilled” greens were unpleasantly charred with an overwhelming burnt taste. The short ribs were presented as 5 tiny slices of medium rare meat over a small portion of chopped greens with a smear of sauce and some large chunks of tomatoes. This dish was the better of the two but still, like high-fixing someone and missing mid air, it didn’t deliver the lush richness most short rib dishes have and I honestly can’t remember what it tasted like. We skipped dessert, not wanting to press our luck. Please note that none of the “entrees” come with much and the server didn’t really explain that. If big portions are your jam, you’ll want to order more dishes. One other thing, they do serve a burger. The person sitting next to us got that and it looked and smelled really great. Kinda’ bummed we just didn’t go with that. The 100,000 dollar question – would we go back? Maybe. The bar seemed fun and there were some interesting small plates that would have been lovely to share over cocktails and conversation. The cocktail I had was delicious. Or maybe I’d stop by for lunch and try that burger? The atmosphere is spot on – truly lovely – and the light rock music is fun.

Blyth & Burrows – Menu with Prices – 26 Exchange St, Portland

If you like craft cocktails then you will like this place. My goal was to try new drinks and stay out of my comfort zone and I did! My first drink was The Battle of Angostura. It is a smoky cocktail so if that’s not your thing, skip it. It actually grew on me as I drank it. I am a fan of a sweeter cocktail and something more fruity but it wasn’t bad. My second cocktail was the Coya Pasca!!! That was my favorite! It had the perfect amount of sweetness and comes with a rose frozen in ice. My rose was frozen in frosty ice so I couldn’t see anything but the stem but I saw someone else’s drink and it was pretty. My rose in ice just took up a lot of space in my drink. The staff was great. Our bartender Charlie was very cool. They brought over a complimentary amuse- bouche which was a nice touch. The order of mussels was very small. Picture them being served in a cup, instead of a bowl and the mussels themselves were very small. I had some the next day in Kennebunkport and the mussels and the portion were both twice the size. But if you are in the mood for a drink and want to try something different, this is the place. They have a speak easy in the back and two bars up front.

Stem Wine Bar – Menu with Prices – 1311 Johnson Ferry Rd #516, Marietta

Disclaimers: – I’m not a wine drinker so their wine list would be lost on me. I do appreciate them having a full bar and a very good cocktail list; – I have only been here once thus far on a Monday for a private Mother earth Beer Dinner and have no knowledge about the regular menu choices. With that being said, I expected the atmosphere inside to be more vibrant and the bar more spacious. Instead it is just pretty much the bar and 3 small tables. Again, I do not know what this place is like on a regular day as far as the crowd, noise level etc. The beer dinner consisted of 5 courses, all paired with Mother earth beers or house cocktails for those who do not drink beer. We were greeted right away and were given a basket of beer pretzel nibs with a side of mustard. I personally prefer a bread basket. We also ordered pre-dinner drinks – Vieux Carre and Maine “something”, both rye based – and both were delicious. First course was Red snapper crudo and although lovely, did not need the oil at all. They paired it with some kind of a wine/pom/champagne concoction which I wasn’t a fan of. Second course was Chorizo, fig and focaccia stuffed calamari and this was probably my least favorite dish. Other than the calamari itself, there was no texture to the dish. The stuffing was just mush. Third course was my absolute favorite – Braised pork cheek with stewed hominy, corn, and okra. I can eat this every day. It was so tender, rich, and robust, but not overwhelming. Strangely, they paired it with Paloma cocktail with is kind of light and citrusy and did not go with this dish. I would have done a manhattan or something. I was very much looking to the forth but was quite disappointed – the duck breast was overcooked and extremely tough. I couldn’t even cut into it. They did end up bringing a replacement with looked 100% better but unfortunately just as tough. The hash was good though and the duck leg meat in it was extremely tender (which is usually the opposite). This was paired with the Vieux Carre. The fifth and final course for me was orange flan (substitution per request) and it was excellent. They paired it with lemoncello but their version was jsut too sweet on top of the sweet desert. Overall: the service was prompt, I loved the drink menu, and there is plenty of parking. All of the courses were explained as well as the beers, and for $75 pp with drinks and gratuity included it was a great deal.

Rambler Cocktail Bar – Menu with Prices – 2600 8th Ave S #109, Nashville

Rambler Cocktail Bar is the cool new place to be in the Melrose area. That area is called Melrose, right? 8th South? I’m not sure if I’ll ever learn all of the neighborhoods! It’s located in the same building as The Sutler and Melrose Billiard Parlor. You can really can have a full night of diverse fun in one building! To enter Rambler, you use The Sutler’s front entrance and then go down the stairs. The Rambler is to the right. There is a bouncer to check your ID and then you go through two big fancy doors. It feels really exclusive and swanky. Totally a different vibe than upstairs. This place just screams cool. The dim lighting and posh colors of purple and blue really set the mood. They also have some neon lights going and a modern mural on the back wall that makes for some great photo moments. The plush seats along the outside add some extra comfort and VIP feel. We grabbed a seat and a server greeted us with some menus. When walking in, one would think this bar is crazy expensive (which seems to be a trend in Nashville). However, drinks prices aren’t too bad. I appreciate that they have a 3-ingredient cocktail menu for $11. They also have fancier cocktails for $13 or shooters for $7. Beer and wine is also an option! I ordered the Bees Knees which was gin, honey, and lemon. It was out pretty quickly and was mighty delicious. At first I just tasted the honey and lemon, so I was worried it was too low in alcohol. However, after finishing the drink I definitely felt the drink a little bit. No, it’s not super strong drink but it gets the job done. I don’t like when my drinks just taste like alcohol so it was a great mix for me! I only ordered the one drink but definitely want to come back and try more! The service was nice and it wasn’t too busy (I think we went pretty early for the night rush) so it was quick. This place definitely has all the vibes you look for in a cocktail bar. It’s fancy without being snooty. I think I could go here dressed up for a date night or just in casual wear for a relaxed night. Their happy hour also seems pretty bomb (yes, I’m bringing bomb back). Rambler, I’ll be back and next time with more friends to impress them!

Blind Dog Tavern – Menu with Prices – 50 N Sierra St Suite 102 1A, Reno

Blind Dog Tavern was one of the most pleasant locations to visit during the “Reno Whiskey Hunt.” The Place: The bar was a little hard to find, it’s inside a building center. Their interior was a lounge/bar with big windows facing the sidewalk. They have a pool table and other games. They have seating by the bar, some long tables, and a long countertop in front of the window. The bar area is cool, and they have a great selection of spirits. The Drinks: Their menu has daily specials. On Sundays, they have Happy Hour all day! How cool is that? So we began with the whiskey specials. We had a neat shot of “Eagle Rare,” then the bartender, T is his name, he made us a special cocktail. For the cocktail, he burned wood chips and smoked our glasses. Then he used the cocktail was called the “Boulevardie” or something similar. The cocktail had the Eagle rare, vermouth and other ingredients. When he finished mixing, he put a nice ice cube on the glass. My husband and I really liked our cocktail. We read the menu, and my husband asked for a “Toreador,” a drink made with tequila. I asked the bartender if he made “Pisco Sours.” He smiled and showed me their Pisco bottles. He mixed the drinks and brought it to us. My pisco was amazing! Husband’s drink was really good too. The Service: We had a great experience! T took good care of us. He got us our drinks fast. He made sure we had water and talked to us. I will be coming back to this place! They have a talented and creative mixologist!

La Buca Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 4025 Macdonald St, Vancouver

It was a pleasure to visit this restaurant for my brother’s birthday as the food was delicious and service was personable and kind! I loved that they have rotating specials so we got to try some of their best! We started off with two of their appetizer specials one being a tempura fried zucchini blossom stuffed with halibut and potato. This was fried expertly without being too oily and the stuffing inside was so flavourful it didn’t need any sauce! We also got their grilled octopus and it was the most tender octopus I have ever tried. For entrees, we got the veal scaloppine, scallops, tagliatelle bolognese and ricotta and pea ravioli. The veal scaloppine came with some deliciously made, pillowy soft gnocchi and had plenty of veggies too! The veal itself was thin but not overcooked and was tender! The scallops were my favourite of the night because of how perfectly cooked the scallops were. They were legitimately the best scallops I have ever had in my life…and the radishes, farrow and pearl onions made the dish so good… The Bolognese was quite oily with a rich ragu but the pasta was perfectly aldente. The same can be said about the ravioli as the pasta was cooked again, to perfection. The filling inside was light and the flavours were subtle but so tasty. The butter sauce on top was a little bit oily but hey, its italian food! Overall, this is a delicious Italian place, small and cosy! The food was a little bit salty but absolutely delicious!