Socialising in SOL Square #4

Okay, so I know we’ve talked a lot about alcohol on these pages.  But I love my cocktails and ‘unfortunately’ I was given the very difficult task of checking out two of the cocktail joints in SOL Square.

With my blog writer hat firmly on my head I boldly ventured forth to Minx.  The first stop on this very special research trip.

You enter Minx from SOL square and walk straight into the bar.  It’s open to the lane, and you can see the bartenders working away whenever you walk past.  It must be horrible for them in winter, though there are plenty of cosy little nooks for patrons to sit in while they hang out.

The bar itself has a feature wall behind it of, you guessed it, alcohol.  And what they don’t have you don’t want.  The shapes and colours of all of the different bottles are fairly dizzying.  Although that could also be the lighting scheme, which combines a mixture of  dimly lit areas, with feature walls of bright, loud and colourful illumination.

Cocktails are fairly priced, and pretty much what you would expect from central Christchurch.  Though be careful that you don’t order the most expensive mixers for your drink.  Elib made the mistake of ordering the top drawer vodka for her dirty martini, and paid the price.  Though she did say it was delicious.

The toilets were very clean, even late in the evening.  And I personally recommend their sidecar.  They make em lethal, but very tasty.

Apparently they also do food at Minx, but I can’t tell you much about that…

Second stop on the very special research trip is La Petite Croix.

The name is a very French twist on it’s big brother, Yellowcross, which sits warily on La Petite’s tail, watching out for it from behind.

I’d often walked past it, wishing I was cool enough to go inside.  But I have research to do.  So along with Elib and Mo-Mo I boldly ventured forth (again).

Inside Edith Piaf is on the radio, the lights are low and sexy, the vibe is Parisian, and the maitre ‘d assures me that he makes the best Cosmopolitan in town.

Never having been a Cosmo fan, I plump for the Vesper Martini, whilst Elib has a Manhattan and Mo-Mo a sidecar.  I’m slurring after the first sip of my Vesper (thanks Ian Fleming), and Elib and Mo-Mo (who are both more sensible) praise their choices equally highly.  Looking up at the bar later I see the maitre ‘d making a Cosmo and wish I had given it a try.  Next research trip… 

Whilst drinking our ‘tails we take the time to look at the classy menu.  It comes bound in an old book cover from the Royal Academy (tres chic) and all of the French staples are there.  I try daring Mo-Mo to order the steak tartare just to see what the classic dish looks like.  Sadly she declines.  Being a vegetarian I’m not going there myself…

But hey, we’re here to study cocktails not food.

La Petite’s drinks are reasonably priced, and you don’t have to worry about ordering the most expensive vodka here.  Just be sure you have money for the bus ride home.