Location:

Marcus’ Martini Heaven, 88 Yesler Way in Pioneer Square, 624-3323. Hey, it’s Grace! Our bartender was recognizable as Grace Hoffman, the friendly, lovely woman formerly behind the bar at Neumo’s, and behind the opening of downtown’s Spitfire and more recently, Sole Repair Shop on Capitol Hill. She’s recently been holding things down at Marcus’ while its owners, Kate and Hugh Holman, have been busy with a new baby (welcome, Harper!). “It’s very family-style here. It’s a good energy,” says Hoffman. Name Your Poison: The French 75: gin, cointreau, lemon/lime juice, and a splash of the Spanish sparkling wine Cava. With a twist, of course. Why the French 75? When I asked Grace to make us her favorite cocktail, she asked, “My favorite to drink or my favorite to make?” But as I sipped my perfectly traditional (except for her “tiny touch of orange”) drink, I forgot to ask her to differentiate. If I were ordering what I like, I’d request a French 77, made with brandy, but this 75 was so divine that I got lost in it. And my companion’s Hendrick’s on the rocks smelled and tasted pleasantly of a cucumber-filled garden, rather than a floor cleaner…maybe I can be a gin drinker after all! You’ve got 67 martinis on the menu, helpfully classified into categories from $6-$10. What are some best-sellers? The Key Lime Pie, fruity variations of Cosmos and Lemon Drops (like the Strawberi Drop), the Piazza Spagna (vodka or gin with sambuca). I also had: the Metaxa Sidecar (Mexata brandy, triple sec, sour, OJ), because it’s winter and a Sidecar warms me up like no other drink. PARTY ALERT! If you’re eager to check out the new party/event space Sole Repair Shop (1001 E. Pike St., 979-SHOP), which shares a kitchen with still-haven’t-been-for-the-damn-one-hour-wait gastropub Quinn’s, Grace tells us tonight is your night. The spot’s having a public, sorta-industry appreciation party (“Or excuse to have a party,” says Grace). Foodies, hotspot-seekers: the party starts at 9 p.m., and you’re welcome to prowl on through.