By Nanette Wiser
TIKI TALKParadise is known for boat drinks and tiki bars, Tommy Bahama shirts and flip flops. I love a banana colada at St. Pete Beach’s Bongo’s and Jimmy B’s, a cold IPA at Treasure Island’s Ikki Woo Woo’s and all the Caddy’s and Crabby’s.
The ultimate tiki bar is now in the excellent hands of veteran restauranteur Steve Westphal: Tierra Verde’s Island Grille & Raw Bar. Why not book your next party in the private banquet room or spend a Sunday eating and drinking al fresco or indoors in the spacious, open dining rooms open for lunch and dinner. Enjoy multiple bars, boat docks, waterfront view, live music, delicious food (early bird and kids’ menus), happy hour Mon.-Fri. 11am-6pm and weekend brunch. The fresh raw bar’s sushi and oysters pair well with a pomegranate or pear flower martini, Ketel One Moscow Mule or Patron Margarita. My fave frozen sips are a mango daiquiri, strawberry hurricane or the Dragon Freeze made with dragonberry rum, lemonade, and strawberry mix.
TIPSY 2022 What’s trending here in the New Year? Sample tequila flights, the ultimate sip-oliday, at DTSP’s Red Mesa and The Crafty Squirrel, where we tippled Hussong’s Anejo Platinum, Del Maguey Vida, Don Julio 1942 and Cincoro Blanco. Caviar and bubbly at Flute & Dram, just named one of the top 20 champagne bars in the U.S., with live music and spectacular charcuterie nightly, as well as smoked cocktails, another 2022 hottie. Aperol and Italian aperitifs still rule at Intermezzo, but honeyed mellow yellow or green (licorice, pine notes) Chartreuse may be thenewest star. Shake up ¾ oz. gin, ¾ oz. green Chartreuse, ¾ oz. maraschino liqueur, ¾ oz. fresh squeezed lime juice and garnish with a cherry.
ROMANTIC WINES Woo her with our somellier pals’ Valentine pours: Mumm Napa Brut Prestige, Mermosa, Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose, Veuve Cliquot Rose, Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay, Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs, Stags’ Leap Napa Valley Viognier, Chocolate Block, The Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon and Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc.
