Vol. 5, No. 5, May 2008
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Spirited Encounters
For friendly greetings and great drinks, try the bar at Capriccio
With its white marble bar, stuccoed walls and flickering wrought iron lamps, the bar at Capriccio is reminiscent of a Mediterranean courtyard. But for all its genteel refinement, this is still a great place for Sex.
Sex on the Beach is the famous ’80s-era highball made with assorted fruit juices and a bracing slug of vodka. The cherry-topped cocktail also includes peach Schnapps (for a pink drink) or Midori and Chambord (the “sandy shorts” variety).
No matter your preference, the seasoned bartenders at Capriccio—at Resorts since 1979—can whip up all the Sexy variations. They also serve every known variation of the classic Cosmopolitan, plus specialty drinks like the Bellini (a Venetian blend of sparkling wine and peach nectar) and the Salty Dog (a wicked brew made with vodka or gin and grapefruit juice, served in a salted glass).
Drink fads come and go, and bartender Ulysses Green knows them all. His encyclopedic knowledge comes from 17 years of setting ’em up at Capriccio, 25 Hours and on weekends, Boogie Nights, the casino’s popular retro dance party.
“When I first started here and someone asked for a martini, you knew it was a gin martini,” says Green. “These days you have to ask, because the drinks change from day to day and week to week. Twenty years ago, a boilermaker was a beer and a bourbon. Now we’ve got the Jager Bomb—a shot glass with Jagermeister in a highball glass filled with Red Bull.”
As the bartenders keep pace with current cocktails, servers in the adjoining restaurant are as savvy as sommeliers when it comes to pairing spirits and cuisine. Chuck Belanger, vice president of food and beverage for Resorts, says the wait staff is specially trained to recommend wine, and guest stewards are regularly invited to preside over multi-course wine dinners. Want a light bite? The bar, which includes a cluster of tiny tables along the wall, also offers small-plate portions from the regular menu at Capriccio.
Among the most refreshing drinks at this friendly bar is the Garden State: a sweet mix of Midori, Grey Goose mandarin vodka and fruit juices. Green highly recommends it. We highly recommend Green, whose winning personality reflects a personal commitment to his customers.
“I’m 17 years here, because to leave would be like leaving home,” he says. “I stay because I’ve never seen anyone walk out who wasn’t smiling.”
