Midsummer Night's Dream

The block of Broadway just below Ellsworth is suddenly my favorite block in town. Last month, Delite opened next door to Deluxe, quenching my thirst for a wonderful, comfortable bar where I could continue the evening after a great dinner. And then Beatrice & Woodsley sprouted next to Delite. From the outside, this place looks fairly nondescript — but inside, it's Hansel and Gretel meets Walt Disney. As you enter, you feel like you're walking through a colony of aspen trees with canteen lights flickering throughout. The bar has chainsaws holding up the shelves, and even the bathrooms are part of the restaurant's woodsy charm, with sinks out in the open and a water-delivery system that's extremely wasteful yet remarkable. Also remarkable — but not in a good way — was the half-full Yazi martini made by a surly bartender who charged me a full $12.50; I figure that each sip of this concoction made with Yazi ginger vodka, lavender simple syrup, mint and lemons cost four bucks. Then I tried the Midsummer Night's Dream ($8) created by bartender Krista. Made with Bak's Bison Grass vodka, lavender simple syrup and lime juice, the cocktail is delightful, if a little on the sweet side. But so is Beatrice & Woodsley. Whether you regard your cocktail as half full or half empty, you can't help but enjoy the beauty of the glass holding it.