A winter chill has descended upon St. Louis, bringing ice and sleet and flurries. Our response -- a fruity, tropical cocktail out on a nice warm patio, of course.
Gut Check gave Mother Nature the finger and headed down to Broadway Oyster Bar (736 South Broadway; 314-621-8811) where we saddled up at the patio bar underneath heat lamps so intense we stripped off our winter gear and rolled up our sleeves. The décor -- starfish, seashells, walls painted ocean blue -- was matched by a cocktail list meant for the beach and sunny afternoons.
Broadway Oyster Bar seems to suggest that summer is just a state of mind, so we ordered up a "Horny Gator" and let the (artificial) sun's rays wash over us.
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Barkeep Megan Metheny tells us that the "Horny Gator" is one of the most popular drinks on the menu. Part of the appeal is probably due to the fact that the word "horny" is implemented (hey, that's what caught our attention), but Metheny explains, "It's very sweet, with a nice tropical color that reminds people of the beach instead of the Midwest." The neon yellow concoction includes coconut rum, melon and banana liquor with sour and pineapple juice, and it is served on ice in a tall glass with both a cherry and slice of lemon. It just looks like a drink best enjoyed under a palm tree.
Given the fact that you came in wearing a coat, gloves and scarf, the icy drink that arrives may seem counterintuitive, but with those heat lamps blasting down, we were in heaven. The first sip is wonderfully fruity and sweet, with plenty of banana and coconut. The hard stuff is hidden a bit by those syrupy liquors, and the whole thing goes down entirely too easy.
The whole experience was the perfect way to ignore reality and just escape. At Broadway Oyster Bar you can order up some shrimp etoufee with plenty of hot sauce and wash it down with a "Horny Gator" or even the ubiquitous Hurricane. It might be 32 degrees outside, but in here, ignorance is bliss.
After the jump, how to make the "Horny Gator" at home.
