Saturday, May 28, 2011

Those Summer Nights...

Everyone has been talking about the sudden onslaught of beautiful summertime weather and no one is complaining. It is about time we get some luck with the sun!
Even luckier for me is the timing of it all, the times changed as soon as my summer lay-off from the ballet began.  So I have been happily basking in the sunlight all week...ok I know I should not rub it in...but I am going to.
I think many of us would agree that one of the best things about summer time are those summer nights when the breeze is slight, it stays light out until 9 or ten pm, the streets are brimming with people and restaurant patios are in full swing.
My mother and I took full advantage of Stephie's on Tremont last night.  We were lucky to snag the most perfect table right by the side walk and had pristine service from one of the outdoor waiters.
We were just doing drinks, which can be an issue in this area as they usually require you to order food as well, particularly when you are in prime seating real estate. Our waiter was very accomodating and brought us some bread with their signature garlicky-spread.
My  mother ordered her usual Pino Grigio and I was deciding between their Tea with Miss McGill, a homemade sweet tea vodka with Drambuie and fresh raspberries and their Forbidden Fruit; Black raspberry belvedere, lychee and pear.
Both sounded great, but I asked our server for her opinion.  Now, asking your waiter for a personal suggestion can be hit or miss. Either they are completely useless in saying they don't know what you like, or they can be very insightful and honest.  Our waiter was the latter and quickly suggested the Forbidden Fruit as the Sweet tea drink apparently is a mixologist's disaster.
The drink came and the suggestion was a raging success...bravo! The drink had struck a perfect balance of vodka and exotic fruit puree, garnished with a plump lychee fruit. (here's another shot a little later on in the night...just for mood!) 

We didn't end up ordering any food, but by the time we were done, the various dishes brought to surrounding guests looked incredibly tantalizing and it was difficult not to order something multiple times throughout our drinks...:)
All in all, the accumulative effect of the weather, the atmosphere, the service and the great drinks made for a fabulous evening.  I trust it would be reciprocated upon return visits. Cheers to many more summer nights!

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