AFTER DARK
Shopping center brings nightlife to Pines
Posted on Fri, Jun. 13, 2008
BY GABE BERMAN
Pembroke Pines isn't exactly a nightlife destination. You'll find a few bars, a couple of cafes -- and my grandma and her friends bragging about their grandchildren (''my grandson writes for The Miami Herald,'' she loves to tell her pals) on the shuffleboard courts at Century Village.
Thankfully for locals and barflies like me who may need a drink after hanging out with their grandma's pals, The Shops at Pembroke Gardens recently opened just west of the entrance to Century Village.
This outdoor shopping center is home to a surf shop, a bookstore, a Starbucks, multiple jewelry and clothing stores and more nightspots to cover in one column. Like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, this will be the first of a great trilogy.
My adventure at The Shops at Pembroke Gardens begins with Brio Tuscan Grille (14576 SW Fifth St.).
By its definition, just about anyone of age can be a decent bartender (a person who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar). Speaking from experience, I can tell you that it doesn't take tremendous skill to add a few squirts of rum to a glass of Diet Coke and ice. Sometimes a patron will ask for a lime garnish but it's not overly difficult.
Personality is what separates decent bartenders from extraordinary bartenders. Most run-of-the-mill mixologists can barely spare the time of day for you. Brio's Heather Hernandez, however, is gracious and maintains an upbeat vibe, regardless of how busy she might be. She can make a mojito with one arm tied behind her back but she introduces herself to you as soon as you belly up to the bar. This small gesture may not seem too important, but for a person sitting alone at a bar, it's quite comforting.
It's sizzlin' at the outdoor bar this time of year, though powerful ceiling fans help you to stay cool. Cream-colored curtains are tethered to faux marble columns that outline the bar, adding a touch of sophistication but also concealing the view of the nearby, busy parking lot.
The bar features 100 wine labels; the drink list includes five single malts, Peroni on tap and 16 signature cocktails like the Ultimate Cosmopolitan -- perfect for Sex and the City fans -- the Espresso Martini for java junkies.
Brio, which closes at 11 p.m. during the week and midnight on weekends, provides an upscale but relaxed environment that works whether you're interested in a date destination, a place to hang out with friends or just a spot to sit alone and maybe meet new people.
Expand your wine knowledge simply by taking a walk to The Grape Merchant Wine Boutique & Bar, also Pembroke Gardens (416 SW 145 Ter.). Store manager Lorin Van Wie says his shop carries the brands everyone (but me) knows about as well as, ``the culty, boutique, hard-to-get labels you only read about but never find.''
For instance, if you've been scouring the earth for a Pino Noir from Atticus Vineyard (founded by former Westin resident Guy Insley), The Grape Merchant sells it for $32 a bottle and $345 a case.
Forty wine choices are available by the glass and along with flickering candles; the black galaxy granite bar is covered with wine glasses that quickly need refilling. The decor: grape-colored cushioned bar stools, hardwood floors and retro styled leather couches pressed up against a brick wall reminiscent of a Manhattan lounge.
Enjoy live music on Tuesdays and Saturdays and a wine tasting every Wednesday. Lorin as well as manager Maurice Roisman, are both sommeliers, which basically connotes they received their black belts in wine knowledge. If you're not sure what you're in the mood for, they're capable of prescribing the perfect wine for your palate.
As far as my palate is concerned, part one of this trilogy ended for me at the Kilwin's fudge shop in the same shopping center at 14539 SW Fifth St.
Coming up:
• See Matt Costa with Delta Spirit at 8 p.m. Friday at Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $14.99.
• On Tuesday, The Kottonmouth Kings take the stage with The Expendables at Revolution, 200 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Show starts at 6:30 p.m.; $21.
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