Martinis: Make Mine Sweet

Megan Rowe

DIY Bloody Mary bars are so last week. The new kid in town is a make-your-own martini bar.

But it’s not just ho-hum martinis getting shaken at Uptown Cafeteria in Minneapolis. The Candi Bartini beckons with a variety of add-ons and mix-ins that will yield something resembling dessert more than a relative of James Bond’s preferred beverage.

Here’s how it works: Guests receive a 10-ounce shaker with their choice of vodka (regular, citrus, caramel, vanilla or raspberry flavored). They take the shaker to the Candi Bartini, where they pick a mixer from choices such as fruit juices and purees, sodas, cocktail mixes and mixers, cream, and sweet syrups. Oh, plus Nerds, Starbursts, root beer barrels, Jolly Ranchers, Smarties and Skittles.

Next step: rim the martini glass with embellishments such as Pixy Stix, Kool-Aid, graham cracker crumbs, Oreos and Tang. Then guests shake their creations, pour them into the glass, and, in case they still need a little something, garnish them with Gummi Bears, Twizzlers, marshmallows, whipped cream and other ingredients in the sugar family.

Cost: $8 a drink.

The Candi Bartini rolled out at this week and will reappear each Thursday night at Uptown Cafeteria. The bar setup is also available for birthdays, bachelorette parties, bridal showers, anniversaries and reunions.

Candi Bartini, in short, spells fun. It’s a natural fit at Uptown, where eclectic comfort food choices like walleye and sweet corn fritters ($10.99) share the menu with the Big Hippie Salad (veggies, quinoa, hemp seed vinaigrette, $12.99) and Horseradish-Crusted Scottish Salmon (green beans, caramelized parsnips, smoked salmon/cream cheese-filled popover, $17.99).

Only one question remains: What it will do to Thursday night dessert sales?