Back in black

Having contracted a bad case of spring fever, I hightailed it after work to the outdoor patio at Noir in The Charles Hotel.  When I was crushed to find no prime seating, the sunny staff remedied the problem by moving tables from inside to outdoors! Basking in the last rays of the day, I turned my attention to the intriguing cocktail list. The signature drinks were designed to evoke the desires of an era gone by. Case in point, the Black Dahlia looks like something Rita Hayworth would’ve quaffed; festooned with a purple orchid, the fuschia hued cocktail combines Reyka vodka, triple sec, pomegranate juice, fresh blackberries and a twist of lemon to create one of the sultriest sips in town.

You don’t have to be a private eye to deduce that the 5-4-3-2-1 happy hour is one killer deal. From 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday with a minimum $6 beverage purchase required, you’ll fork over only $5 for flatbread (the bacon with carmelized onion, ricotta and asiago cheese is to die for), $4 for sandwiches, $3 for salads, $2 for snacks, $1 for sweets and the bar mix with wasabi peas, nuts and cranberries costs you nothing! At this price, you won’t need to turn to a life of crime to pay your bill, even though cocktails start at $10.

The mood lighting is so dim that you half expect to see Bogie and Bacall canoodling in the black leather banquette nestled in the corner. It’s definitely a popular spot for lovebirds, though you’ll find all types pass through the joint over the course of an evening. The romantic reverie is only broken when you venture out into the bright hotel to use the upstairs facilities. Inside or out, you’ll be spellbound by the scene at Noir.

Noir at The Charles Hotel
One Bennett St., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
617-661-8010
www.noir-bar.com