21 Oct Trina’s Starlite Lounge
Where we’ve been drinking: Trina’s Starlite Lounge
Trina’s and its bartenders are always on the top of all the lists: best bars in Boston, best bartenders, best female bartenders, best neighborhood bars. It was only a fifteen minute walk from our place in Somerville. And, sadly, I very nearly never went there. It could be proximity breeding contempt: ‘It’s right around the corner; I could always go there. Let’s get out of the neighborhood.’ On the other hand, it could be laziness: the equally well-regarded backbar was only an eight minute walk (ah, the travails of living in Union Square).
Upon moving away from the neighborhood, I immediately regretted having taken Trina’s for granted. So, when I was back in town for a brief visit, in too-little, too-late fashion, I dropped in to check out what I’d been missing. And, boy, have I been missing out.
Trina’s is cool, with it’s retro, vintage decor.
Trina’s is the perfect neighborhood bar: small, cozy, dark, with a big comfortable bar and just the right amounts of friendly and unobtrusive.
And Trina’s has great cocktails (and a not at all bad beer selection).
What I ordered & what I thought
Bols genever, St. Germain, Aperol, lemon
St. Germain (that ubiquitous elderflower liqueur) and Aperol (a bitter orange liqueur) are standbys with me, and I’ve been on a bit of a genever kick recently; so this seemed like the drink for me. And despite the guys I was with razzing me for my pink drink, it was.
Genever, by the way, is gin’s maltier, older Dutch relative. And it worked very well with the sweet, floral flavors of St. Germain, the mild bitterness of the Aperol, and the tartness of the lemon. I enjoyed every sip, and it made me want to keep exploring this whole genever thing, and to keep visiting Trina’s when I’m in town.
Photo cred: Yelp
So should you go?
Yes, yes, yes. Don’t make the same mistake I did. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, definitely drop into Trina’s for the cool but friendly vibe and the great drinks. And one more thing: if you need a little snack, but not a meal, the bbq sweet potato chips are startlingly tasty.
