Mel becomes Carrie Bradshaw

After a hard day’s work slap bang in the middle of this sunny week, Mel needed a drink. Little did Mel know that this drink would turn into a session trying all sorts of Willy Wonka alchemy from the brand spanking new #5 @ 5 cocktail menu at Rosso.

Basically from 5pm-8pm Monday to Friday, you can go to the chic cocktail bar at Rosso and unwind with their very happy hour supping on delicious en-vogue £5 cocktails each jam-packed with contemporary Italian flavours whilst retaining the classic traditional techniques.

Mel likes a drink, and also a saving on drinking so this was ideal. She decided to start at the top and go through every one of them.....all for the reader’s benefit of course.

First up was the pretty feminine Rossini made up of Briotett Creme de Bergamot Liquer, Prosecco and a house-made wild strawberry puree. Similar to a Bellini, this stunning aromatic and elegant drink was summer in a glass and was finished off with a beautiful purple edible flower emitting lavender flavours resembling a Parma Violet sweet.

Next was the Capri Collins which can only be described as kissing a lemon. Zesty Limoncello drizzled over a tart lemon sorbet and then Tanqueray Gin on top; it is the ultimate palette cleanser.

Quickly followed by possibly the best mojito Mel’s ever encountered and probably the best to illustrate how clever the good people at Rosso are. This is an Italian mojito you see and one you’d come back to again and again. Strawberries and fresh basil muddled together with Pampero Blanco Rum then lifted to another dimension with Galliano Balsamico (seriously!)....blimey this really was something special and not a sprig of mint in sight.

Once Mel gathered herself from this delight and tucked into some delicious large olives; perhaps the Cerignola variety keeping with the Italian vibe, she drank up the relaxed atmosphere with live music from a rather good singer belting out ‘rat pack’ style songs.

Whilst this was going on, Mel’s cocktail king was busy fashioning the last of the five delectable cocktails from this extremely low price menu.

This included a rather fruity cosmopolitan made up of Ketel One Citroen Vodka, Luxardo Marashino, and with cherry and blackberry flavours. Imagine the cherry sherbet in a double-dip and then pour some booze on it. This was special and Mel was suddenly Carrie from Sex & The City.

The last one from this menu (it was now 7.50pm) was the gutsy Pompelmo Sour; homemade grapefruit infused Ketel One Vodka with another en-vogue Italian liqueur Aperol which is a bitter orange type of flavour and went very well with the bitters and grapefruit taste. One to end on certainly as it tasted very strong; not in booze but flavouring; bit like marmite but in a glass and not on toast.

Having drunk every type of #5 @ 5 cocktail, Mel thought she’d have one (or two in this case) for the road from the full cocktail menu. Ideal if none of the above float your boat, but seriously – you will want to do the same as Mel as this is excellent value for money.

A lovely Bullitt bourbon dry Old Fashioned followed by a rum Old Fashioned consisting of three rums; it was a lovely end to an otherwise normal evening.

Good thing I was there to record this, because Mel doesn’t even remember leaving the place.

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Posted: Thursday 2nd May 2013
ID: 2707 - 956