Clara Civieta and Anna K-G

A little question for you: What do you get if you cross a preposterously potent drink, the ambiance of Café del Mar and a club reviewer?

A not-so-little answer for you: You get me, sitting in the beach-bar area outside the back of Thirst on Monday night with a nearly-empty glass of Amaretto Sours in my hand, and a confused look on my face as I try in vain to work out how I went from sober to obliterated in the space of 10 minutes.

The solution to my confusion lay in my hand of course. I had been to the bar, ordered a bottle of beer and was told by the barman to be a little more adventurous. So I went along with this crazy idea and let him make me his 'speciality'.

It just so happened to be the single-most delicious drink I've ever tasted, appealing greatly to the most pleasure-inducing area of my tongue - the sour department.

It was like putting a sour sweet in your mouth, then seeing how long you can stand it while your eyes roll back in your head as if you're about to reach some kind of confectionary-induced climax. Amazing.

But I didn't notice the full effects of the drink until talking to a couple of prospective posers for our photographs and suddenly realising that I had significantly reduced control over my facial movements, a form of mild to moderate nystagma, and a delay of about three seconds between saying something and my brain realising I had just spoken.

It hit me like a juggernaut and felt as though I had just downed a bucketful of Night-Nurse.

A swift glass of icy water soon brought me back into the world of normality, but it was difficult not to order another Amaretto Sours.

There was that little part of my psyche that wanted to give up and just sit there sipping this wonderful drink all night, like one of Odysseus' crew being lulled into a state of peaceful apathy by the Lotophagi's narcotic Lotus fruits - and never wanting to leave.

I suggest you try one - they really are that good, although I also recommend you are sitting down while you do and on no account are you to operate heavy machinery afterwards.

But enough talk of Italian liqueurs and their hallucinogenic properties.

Thirst was buzzing on Monday night. I hadn't been expecting it because Brookes students are all either finished for the academic year or they're still sitting their finals.

They normally congregate here to pre-drink on a Monday before heading to Lava & Ignite.

Lava & Ignite appeared to be shut on Monday, so it speaks volumes that Thirst is able to draw a big crowd that's there for the whole night and not just to down a few drinks before heading off somewhere bigger.

But why would you need to go elsewhere this summer when Thirst looks, sounds and tastes terrific, and wins my award for the coolest cocktail-garden in town? Well you'd be silly if you did.

Thirst and its big sister Thirst Lodge are prime examples of how bars and clubs can and should be with a little bit of care and attention paid to them. Visit www.thirstbar.com for more information.

2:47pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

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