With the onrushing phallic-shaped winter storm threatening to penetrate our bubble of warm air, expect temperatures to plummet. Luckily, there is one sure-fire way to fortify yourself against Jack Frost: Alcohol, and lots of it. And at the Fountain on Locust (3037 Locust Street; 314-535-7800), you can throw back a "Magnum Opus," a warm coffee drink infused with enough of the good stuff to melt away all the snow and ice that that cruel mistress Mother Nature might hurl at us.
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When we enter Fountain, Bruce Springsteen is blaring on the speakers, announcing that Santa Claus will in fact soon be coming to town -- the festive red and green decorations confirm the arrival of the Christmas season. We asked barkeep Christin Jameson for a stiff drink capable of turning up the heat. Right on cue, she goes to work on the "Magnum Opus," a powerful concoction comprised of rum, hazelnut liqueur, hearty Irish cream liqueur, a dose of coffee and topped of with whipped cream. Jameson explains that the drink's "creaminess is comforting on a chilly day," and after one sip, we are in complete agreement.
Served in a regal glass mug, the drink appears nearly picture-perfect with a cloud of whipped cream resting delicately upon the toffee colored mix of coffee and liqueurs. Stirring up the sweet and the bold makes for just the right mixture and each sip is a combination of darkly rich, warm hazelnut and airy cool cream. Finishing strong, the last few sips of the "Magnum Opus" is where you'll find the caffeine and rum, sending a warm fuzzy feeling down into your chest.
Enjoy your cocktail at the bar, or take it into one of the private booths (complete with curtains) where you can listen to the radio comedy serial, Soap Hospital, with a new episode every two minutes. There's a menu filled with amazing sandwiches and delightful desserts. Did we mention the truly exquisite bathrooms? Head to the Fountain and hunker down -- you'll have the essentials covered.
Too cold to brave the temperatures? Here's how to make the "Magnum Opus" at home.
