Meet Me At MW

Since it opened two years ago, MW Restaurant has become widely known for its twists on local favorites. But just as important to note is its sophisticated bar menu — which, like the food, makes use of local ingredients.

When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was the open-design concept — you can see into the kitchen, and the dining room flows right around the bar.

I dove into the menu to find a fantastic wine list, coupled with a selection of creative cocktails and beer, plus a robust offering of mocktails — I could already tell I was going to be impressed.

What caught my attention most was actually one of the non-alcoholic beverages, the Blueberry Pineapple Soda. Made with house-made blueberry syrup, fresh pineapple puree and lime juice, it was like drinking a melted shave ice from Matsumoto’s — just the right amount of juice flavor with a refreshing kick. Everything tasted fresh, almost as if they have squeezed each fruit directly into my glass.

To accompany my dinner, I ordered the Cucumber Yuzu Fizz (pictured). Admittedly, this drink was a little bit outside my comfort zone, because I don’t normally gravitate toward cucumber-flavored cocktails, but our waitress assured me it was a guest favorite. Prepared with Ty Ku Soju, Calpico (a sweet and tangy milk-based beverage), yuzu and cucumber, the Fizz wasn’t as “fizzy” as I would have hoped, but it was refreshing and paired nicely with my meal. There was just a hint of cucumber, dominated instead by the citrusy taste of the yuzu. With these flavors, there was not even a subtle hint of alcohol … that is, until I stood up! I can imagine a few of these would leave your head spinning.

And if you think that MW Restaurant is only for special occasions, know this: It’s got happy hour specials from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Happy hour deals include select beer, wine, well drinks, and a few of its signature cocktails, along with a list of appetizers.