Food - Pieces of Ate

In this new feature for our food column, we share some of our favorite always-on-the-menu sips and nibbles.

by Kelly O'Brien

The Moonbowtini - Asolare

Painkillers are all well and good, but some nights, you need a grown-up drink. On such occasions we like to head up the hill to Asolare, pull up a seat at the bar, and have a Moonbowtini.

Step One: Choose your favorite vodka. (We like Belvedere for this drink.)

Step Two: Watch while the bartender adds grapefruit juice and rosemary syrup - the secret to the Moonbowtini's greatness.

Step Three: Enjoy responsibly while you take in the fabulous view across to St. Thomas.

A word of caution: The Moonbowtini looks like a frou-frou drink, and its light, clean flavors make it eminently drinkable, but don't be fooled! This one packs quite a punch.

Asolare, Cruz Bay (340) 779-4747

Three Sauce Plate - La Tapa

The baguettes that come out of La Tapa's kitchen - ­all golden and crusty and warm - are reason enough to order the Three Sauces plate from the Con Pan section of the their menu. But just in case you need convincing, here are three more reasons: green peppercorn and arugula aioli, sun-dried tomato aioli and tropical fruit salsa.

The peppercorn sauce is our favorite, with a velvety texture and nice, spicy edges, but the sweet/smoky sun-dried tomato aioli and zesty fruit salsa are also a fresh and tasty way to start off a meal. We like to get an early reservation, nab the booth right inside the door and snack on the sauce plate while we people watch - perfect for unwinding after a long day of work.

La Tapa, Cruz Bay (340) 693-7755

May 2009