Be sure to cast your vote at McCormick and Schmick’s before the election, whether it’s by purchasing a Love on the Ba-racks or a McCain Maverick-tini — they are keeping a tally posted behind the bar and every vote counts. M&S has themed its happy hour around the upcoming election, and from 3:30 to 6:00 and 10:30 to midnight, a very cheap menu (akin to dim sum in its price range) might make you feel better about dropping a few bills during our current economic woes.
The “Change” chicken wings, Obama burger sliders, and Mac Cain & cheese, among many more, each cost $1.95. There is also a $3.95-$4.95 bracket, but I found myself enjoying the wings just as much as the more expensive Stump Speech steamed mussels, steamed Manila clams and blackened chicken quesadilla. While the burger may have been just another burger, the sweet and slightly spicy wings showed that M&S has bar food down to a science. The clams, too, were deliciously seasoned and the quesadilla was chock-full of cheesy goodness. In fact, it’s fair to say you get more than your money’s worth. But let’s get real here, the drinks are what it’s all about.
If you want to sip some neon-blue Love on the Ba-racks, expect Blue Curaçao, Peach Schnapps and Malibu Rum, highlighted by a hint of orange and lemon juice. The taste of the liquor isn’t so much accentuated as it is inundated with lip-smacking sweetness. To be honest, it drinks like a soda. Or maybe you would rather man it out with the McCain Maverick-tini, a combination of raspberry puree and raspberry vodka with a pinch of Chambord. I will leave to your judgment whether or not a reddish-pink drink with a fruitful scent classifies as "manly," but expect to actually taste the liquor in this one.
After the first sip of my man-tini, it occurred to me that this restaurant has a lot going for it. It’s right across from City Hall and a block or two away from Broad Street’s sprawl of theaters and performance venues. My first impression of the place was that it catered specifically to business-folk, but upon further musing and a conversation with the general manager, it occurred to me that it is commonly enjoyed by college students. They hope the next two weeks will see an even greater influx of politically minded people, or at least thirsty ones. So, if your politics encourage you to give the place a visit, enjoy the cheap menu, and feel free to complain that you can’t vote for a third party (beverage).
Courtesy of McCormick and Schmick’s Restaurant and Bar
If you’d like, you can try concocting your own election-themed cocktails at home as the decisions come rolling in next Tuesday.
Love on the Ba-racks
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1/4 oz. orange juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. Blue Curaçao
1/4 oz. Peach Schnapps
1/4 oz. Malibu Rum
Shake ingredients and ice in a pint glass. Pour over plenty of ice in a highball glass. Top with Sprite and garnish with a cherry.
McCain Maverick-tini
3/4 oz. raspberry puree
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1/4 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz. Stoli raspberry vodka
3/4 oz. Chambord
Shake ingredients and ice in a pint glass. Pour into martini glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.
