Circa

We went to Circa right after eating dinner and drinking sake at Mas Sake next door. The layout of the bar is pretty spacious, with comfortable seating around a central bar area. We were there pretty early (10PM-11PM ish), so I'm not sure how crowded it gets later on.

They serve a drink called Fernet here, which my SF friends tell me is a specialty drink of the city. Wikipedia describes Fernet as:

"...a type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but may include myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron, with a base of grape distilled spirits, and colored with caramel coloring."

But in reality, it tastes like Jagermeister without any sweetness or pleasantness whatsoever. For the curious, it's worth trying once. But any more than that is a recipe for disaster.

This is a restaurant/bar but we only came for drinks so the scope of my review will be limited. This is a cool loft-like space with dark woods, plush drapes and a video of a huge white, serene flower to serve as a sharp contrast to the throngs of people in the bar. Drinks were good, well-priced (compared to LA) and the people were quite attractive and eclectic - ages ranging between mid-twenties to late-thirties; from professional yuppie types to artsy folks. Really fun, laid back vibe. Worth checking out.