+
LIBATIONS
CIVILIZED SIPPING Clockwise from top right: Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge offers a selection of creative beverage options, including the Stoned Oak, the Best Memories, and the Blueberry Yum Yum.
After sampling the craft cocktail culture in cities such as New Orleans and Charleston, Danielle and Stephen Dyer wanted to bring that experience to Southwest Florida. Last June, they teamed up with friend and business partner Peggy Baker to open Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge in downtown Bonita Springs. “I’ve always wanted to own a bar,” says Danielle, who worked in other industries prior to her hospitality career. “I love the cocktail culture, as well as the other aspects of it—the socialization and meeting new people, the music and dancing. I’ve outgrown the club scene, so I wanted a classy lounge that would have some resemblance to a speakeasy.” The drink menu changes quarterly, encompassing 13 original signature cocktails as well as some classics. The team of four bartenders develops the concepts and then works with Danielle to fine-tune the selections. Classic drinks
ASHLEY ROTH
EAT DRINK
are identified by their source; for example, the Mai Tai (Trader Vic’s, 1944); Hanky Panky (Ada Coleman, Savoy Hotel, 1898); and Jungle Bird (Jeffrey Ong, Aviary Bar, 1998). Other offerings include a choice of wines and a large list of premium spirits. Cordials and shrubs are made in-house and fresh-squeezed juices take the place of bottled mixers. Dessert is the only food served, which fits a clientele that typically starts or ends an evening at Chartreuse. Takeout dining options are nearby, and customers are allowed to bring in food. The lounge is open until 11 p.m. during the week and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. There’s no standing room, and Danielle stresses that patience is required to concoct the complex cocktails. “The idea came from what I want as a customer,” she says, “a place where I’d feel comfortable coming after work, or in a gown, or on a Saturday afternoon.” (chartreuselounge.com)
A CULINARY ESCAPE Dining options in Ave Maria expanded in March with the opening of Oasis The Kitchen Lounge in the Town Center. The restaurant is a joint venture between local entrepreneur Phong Ho, owner of Ave Maria’s Tropical Smoothie Café, and chef Michael Jaenvega of steak house Martin Fierro in Naples. “We felt that Ave Maria didn’t have a wide enough range of choices, and we wanted to provide a more elegant dining option,” says Ho. “Our goal was a gourmet kitchen with a Latin flair that would offer a fun, interesting experience.”
The eclectic menu spans a wide variety of culinary styles and has something for everyone. Appetizers range from homemade empanadas to seared ahi tuna and a roasted beet salad. Pastas are garnished with seafood or chicken bruschetta sauce and an assortment of meats and fresh seafood are cooked on the grill. For the full Argentine experience, order the Meat Lovers Grill, consisting of skirt steak, chicken breast, sausage, pork loin, and shrimp. The lunch menu features lighter dishes, such as poke bowls, burgers, and stir-fries.
“We’ve started serving Sunday brunch, and we’re offering weekly specials with dishes not available elsewhere,” says Ho. “We hope to grow along with the community.” (oasiskitchenlounge.com)
108 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
108_EATLIST_0722.indd 108
6/2/22 11:11 AM
