CLUB WATCH
Cecelia’s: An elegant stop along the Elmwood Strip
It was a drizzly Thursday when Lindsay and I arrived at Cecelia’s on Elmwood Avenue. While the dining area was full of families and intimate couples engaged in conversation, we had no problem finding a spot at the elegant bar, black with quaint brown stripes and a blue, triangular neon design. A young gentleman wearing a black button-down shirt and dress slacks greeted us immediately.
While I took no time making my decision (a bottle of Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat and a double of Balvenie single malt scotch for $14), Lindsay had a hard time picking out just one cocktail from the comprehensive specialty drink menu. The list had such options as Electric Lemonade (3 Olives vodka, blue Ciracco and 7-Up) and the Pink Diamond (Grey Goose, Peach Schnappes and grapefruit juice). She decided on the Chocolate Covered Cherry ($8), a martini with 3 Olives Cherry vodka, Creme de Cocoa and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Our bartender mixed the drink in record time and Lindsay’s eyes lit up after the first sip. “It’s yummy!,” she said.
Red neon accented the front windows and jazz played softly in the background. A skylight directly above the bar framed a crisp autumn evening. A patterned marble border ran the length of the restaurant and a stained wood partition tastefully separated the bar crowd from the dinner crowd.
A sophisticated couple in dress clothes welcomed out-of-town friends, while two single club kids on a date decided on a mixed drink that tasted “like Snapple.” Some older college kids at the far end of the rail chatted about new job placement and sorority strife while working on a row of appetizers. I felt woefully underdressed in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt and after some trepidation, decided to take my hat off.
As a long-standing connoisseur of good whiskey, bourbon and scotch, I’m usually hard-pressed for decent top shelf brands at most of the bars we’ve frequented. There was such an abundance of rarities, specialties and oddities at Cecelia’s that, much like Lindsay, I had a tough time deciding what scotch to order next. After my first glass of scotch was gone, I switched over to a double of 12-year-old Dewar’s on the rocks ($8). After taking her time with the Chocolate Covered Cherry, Lindsay followed it up with the Raspberry Champagne Cocktail ($8), a mixed champagne affair with Hardy VSOP and Chambord Raspberry Liqueur topped with Korbel Champagne. The champagne arrived in a raised martini glass with a dark purple tint and a cherry at the bottom.
We stepped outside for a cigarette on a stone patio in the front bordered with a black cast iron fence and old-fashioned street lights. A string of rainbow-colored rope lights decorated the frame where an outdoor awning showcased the front of the building in warmer months.
Since the restaurant closes at 10 p. m., we were glad that we arrived earlier than usual and left at a reasonable hour without imposing on the staff. Cecelia’s is a welcome and elegant stop on the Elmwood Strip. In a neighborhood where barhopping is practically a prerequisite, you might not want to leave once you settle in.
Cecelia’s Ristorante
716 Elmwood Ave., 883-8066
Scene: Upscale cocktail lounge that makes you feel pampered without the exorbitant prices that normally accompany it.
Drinks: An extensive selection of top-shelf scotch, specialty martinis and cocktails. More than two dozen imported and domestic bottled beers.
DressCode: One notch below dress formal. Dress to impress or buy a new outfit.
Music: Live jazz at 7 p. m. Thursdays; smooth jazz via sound system the rest of the week.
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