Citrus Sensation

By Kelly Westhoff

Minnesota Palate, September/October 2004

My first experience with blood oranges occurred when I was in Europe for a semester abroad and found myself in Florence eyeing street vendors and their wares. Hungry for fruit, I bought a bag of plump oranges and carried them back to my room where I peeled one, then another, and then a third. Each was dark red on the inside—definitely not what I expected from an orange. I assumed the fruit was rotted and promptly threw it in the trash. At the time, I didn't know that the red-pulped oranges were ripe, not rotten. And I certainly didn't know that years later I'd be sipping a trendy cocktail made from the fruit.

A Cosmos, the signature drink of Cosmos Restaurant and Bar, is made with the tartly, sweet juice of blood oranges. At $12 a pop, it's a pricey cocktail, but its refreshing nature and unusual ingredients make it well worth ordering. A concoction of vodka and blood oranges, its color is reminiscent of a Bloody Mary, but its smell is nothing like pepper. Instead, whiffs of zesty, fresh lime invite sip after sip.

And the bar is an easy place to sit and sip. Located on the fourth floor of Le Meridian Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, the Cosmos bar is striking. Partitions of glass hang like icicles, separating the bar into smaller areas that are perfect for more intimate conversations. Dark furniture lends a muted air, as does low lighting. The marble bar matches the marble floor and everything about the atmosphere says this is a place for the chic, the elegant, and the beautiful.

But don't let the ritz intimidate you. Everyone I met was kind and friendly. The street-level doormen were prompt and willing. The concierge was pleasant and smiling. The manager was generous, and the bartender personable and fun.

Drinks may be on the expensive side, but if you're looking for a place to impress someone, Cosmos is it. The bartenders will mix up any number of specialties, including a yet-to-be-named strawberry martini that is served in a chocolate-rimmed glass. Go ahead and go to Cosmos. You deserved to be impressed.

If you go

Where

Cosmos
601 First Avenue North Minneapolis
4th floor of Le Meridian Hotel
612-312-1168

Hours

Breakfast until 10 a.m.
Lunch 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Dinner from 4 p.m.
Lunch menu served again after 10 p.m.

Parking

No validation for parking.
Enter Block E parking ramp on Seventh Street. $5.00 per hour
There is valet service. Enter on First Avenue. $15.00

Drinks to Try

Cosmos
Chocolate-Strawberry Martini
Key Lime Martini
Mojo

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