THE GIG HARBOR WINE JOINT ADDS BOOZE >>>

(Sip. closed Monday, May 24, 2010)

The drunken junket is a wonderful thing. It's the sort of perk that makes up for the lousy pay in this typing business, at least for a few days. But times have changed since the halcyon hedonism of yore, when Hunter S. Thompson - the most celebrated master of the fine art of spending a jetting off to some faraway locale and imbibing and debauching on someone else's dime - was staggering drink- and drug-addled around the Mint 400, weaving his half-remembered adventures into fabulist prose. Nowadays, when a martini at lunch is looked at askance, there's a palpable button-down mentality that frowns on overindulgence. I prefer zippers.

So when I received word today that Sip wine bar and restaurant in Gig Harbor now offers a full bar service, I made my way upstairs to the publishers looking for an expense account - you know, to "really uncover the truth behind the added booze."

Their answer was automatic: Does Shane MacGowan need a liver transplant?

Until my research is finished, which could take weeks, I submit the press release announcing Sip's new boozy existence after the jump.

All Sip. at the wine bar & restaurants are  now offering a full bar and new palate-tempting libations utilizing high-end liquors and ingredients.

The Seattle flagship at 5th and Madison, which opened November 2009, successfully piloted full bar service; now sister restaurants located in Gig Harbor and Issaquah have also jumped on board.

"Wine was the inspiration for Sip., and our dedication to offering wide-reaching selections and expert wine service will never change," says owner Lane Scelzi. "But I absolutely appreciate the desire for a fine cocktail, and a full bar is something our guests have asked for."

Instead of relying on pre-made sour mix, only fresh-squeezed citrus juices go into their expertly crafted cocktails. Housemade syrups stand in for mass-market sweeteners, in such intriguing flavors as lavender honey, Meyer lemon, mulberry, pomegranate and agave.

"We're making sure that each liquor and mixed drink we serve is of superior quality, just as they expect from every other aspect of Sip," adds Scelzi.

Luce del Sol - 10

Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka, Grand Marnier, honey syrup and fresh-pressed orange and lemon juices, shaken on ice

Stockholm - 10

Monopolowa Vodka, fresh-pressed lemon juice, Meyer lemon syrup, shaken and topped with Champagne

Cosmopolitan - 11

Ketel One Vodka, Cointreau, fresh-pressed lime juice and a splash of cranberry juice, shaken and served up

French 75 - 10

New Amsterdam Gin, simple syrup, fresh-pressed lemon juice, shaken and topped with Champagne

Mulberry St. Sling - 10

New Amsterdam Gin, fresh-pressed lemon juice and mulberry syrup, shaken and topped with soda

Cable Car - 10

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, Cointreau and fresh-pressed lemon and lime juices, shaken and served over ice

1084th and Hazy - 12

A combination of aged and white rums, shaken with apricot purée, lime juice, Cointreau, orgeat and mulberry syrups, served iced

Pearhana - 11

Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Clear Creek Pear Brandy, ginger syrup, fresh-pressed lime and orange juices, shaken and served iced

Sangre de Fresca - 12

Strawberries, basil and balsamic syrup muddled with a unique blend of Leblon Cachaça, Cointreau and fresh lime juice, shaken and topped with soda

Sip Margarita - 12

Patron Silver, Cointreau, fresh-pressed lime juice and a touch of agave syrup, served on ice with a lightly salted rim

Lavender Sidecar - 11

Jacques Cardin Cognac, Cointreau, lavender honey syrup, lemon juice and orange bitters, shaken and served in a lightly sugar-rimmed snifter

Old Fashioned - 10

A traditional muddle of raw sugar, orange, Angostura bitters and brandied cherries, topped with ice and finished with Jim Beam Whiskey

Sazerac - 11

A muddle of raw sugar and Peychaud's Bitters shaken with Crown Royal Whiskey and Lucid Absinthe, served up

Pomegranate Mojito - 10

Leblon Cachaça muddled with pomegranate molasses, mint leaves, lime and sugar cubes, topped with soda

Guests can enjoy $5 well drinks and half-priced wine glass pours during happy hour at the Gig Harbor location from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close.

LINK: South Sound happy hours