As promised, I returned to Two Rosehill to check out their lounge scene. It's funny because I had thought about going a few times and always ended up passing it over for some place else. This past Saturday (Oct 11), there happened to be an event taking place to which I had free a free ticket. As *if* I'm gonna let that pass me by.

So I arrive at the venue and I head to the little girls room. It's a really elegant washroom. There is a curtain instead of a door, thus making it seem more regal. The 3 pillar candles at both ends of the counter are a nice touch, but the pool of wax that spilling onto the floor is not. Candle plates, people. They're a good investment.

After my little pit stop, I head over to the bar, hop up on a stool and proceed to wait for someone to notice me. It doesn't take long (considering the dress code of the event) before a good-looking bartender comes up to me and says, "Hi sweetie. Can I get you something?" Can we say mesmerizing smile?

Luckily, I've been dazzled by better, so I don't go ga-ga over him and I smoothly request a martini list. Of course, I fire back my cutest smile because I want him to think I'm absolutely classy and enrapturing, but that's besides the point.

I'm happy to see that this fine upstanding establishment serves my beloved drink of choice. Having ordered my drink, I patiently wait for the master mixologist to prepare my reason for clubbing (I bet you all thought I was gonna say 'living'. Suckers. ).

I really love places that keep their martini glasses properly chilled. Major, you can take a lesson here. The glass is sitting up on the bar filled with glass while the bartender (didn't get his name, damn!) goes about preparing the drink. Once the shaker contents are ready, he dumps out the ice in the martini glass, tosses in the garish (still a lychee with a plastic sword, but the sword isn't being used to impale the fruit and suspend it above the glass, so it's good), and then fills the glass with the liquid from the shaker. Chris at Päaeez does the ice in glass thing, but ruins the garnish. Major at Alleycatz doesn't chill his glass. But this place... well they do it all.

Everyone knows that Major has set the bar for my martini. Everyone has heard me rave about how his Lychee Martini is the best and that there has yet to be a single Lychee Martini in Toronto that can compete. In my never ending quest for the perfect Lychee Martini, I have now, FINALLY, found one that is better. Move over, Major. Two Rosehill now has the best Lychee Martini in the city. It's a shame I didn't catch this bartender's name.

This martini, when it was served up to me, looked exactly like the Crazy Catz (Lychee Martini at Alleycatz) that I so love. Only difference was that there was a sword in my lychee. But since it didn't suspend my lychee above my drink, I didn't care. It *was* however, something with which I could fidget.

The ceremonious swirl of the glass confirmed for me that this drink was as fragrant as all the others. It looked and smelled amazing so I dove right in and took the first sip.

Heaven in a glass!! It went down really smooth and had no after taste. It was perfect and it was in stemware (I have yet to post my reviews of lounges that serve martinis in non-traditional martini glasses - i.e. no stem, but just know that I cannot *stand* drinking martinis out of non-traditional martini glasses). It brought me to the understanding of what is a "neat" martini.

What's more, the quality of the lychee that they use is leaps and bounds better than the ones they use a Alleycatz. I was kinda miffed last time I was at Alleycatz because they actually *ran out* of lychees and it wasn't the first time that this happened either.

Interestingly enough, as I was sipping away at this wonderful drink, I was pleasantly surprised to hear them playing the exact kind of music they play at Alleycatz. All the upbeat jazz songs that the bands at Alleycatz perform are played here by a DJ. The music at Alleycatz is better (live music is always better than DJ) but this is definitely a good change of scenery. The crowd is considerably older, but since I don't go to Alleycatz for their crowd (their crowd sucks), I can easily say that Two Rosehill may very likely replace Alleycatz in my book of places to hang out. At present, Alleycatz is still up one because of the live music, but Two Rosehill's martinis are definitely giving them a run for their money (or more accurately, my money ).

Final standings for the Lychee Martini at Two Rosehill is:

Look
Smell
Taste

Their webpage is www.tworosehill.com and there you can find location and menu.