Red-hot martinis

It used to be that the only choices when ordering a martini were vodka or gin, sweet or dry vermouth, and olive or onion. But nowadays, just about anything goes. Your martini might be topped with a fruity mango foam, garnished with a hibiscus flower, or gilded with gold leaf. Hell, it damn well might be lit on fire. Sorry, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Marlene Dietrich and Douglas Sirk -- the rules of martinis have gone out the window.

Several Twin Cities nightspots specialize in martinis, but St. Paul's Russian bar and restaurant Moscow on the Hill might be the most unique. Its martinis are inspired, with unusual combinations of liquors and liqueurs that are finely noted and ripple through the tastebuds with a sense of purpose. They aren't just throwing some fruit or Bailey's-based pleasantries into a glass and calling it a martini -- a lighthearted mistake that most "martini joints" make. Instead, Moscow's drinks lean admirably toward the masculine, keeping a sense of the by-the-book vodka or gin martini. As head bartender Oleg Levin says, "We take drinking seriously."

One of Moscow's martinis, the Russian Roulette, consists of house-made horseradish vodka, Jägermeister and dry vermouth, a drink that is surprisingly palatable, despite the fact that I dislike all of its components. The Saint Basil is a gentle combination of vodka and Frangelico, a beautiful clear amber pool in the candlelight, lightly nutty, sweet and strong. But the crown jewel is the Red October, with Stoli Vanil, Three Olives Chocolate Vodka, a house pepper vodka and crème de cacao. The flavors positively sing through your senses with every sip. With a light burn of pepper and the comforting snuggle of chocolate, it's safe and cozy without being frou frou.

If Moscow on the Hill represents the masculine end of the martini spectrum, over at Minneapolis' upscale La Belle Vie the feminine is in play: Decoration and presentation are key. Here, chic irreverence is the M.O., as crafty bar manager Johnny Michaels draws you, mesmerized, directly into his web of libation magicks. Michaels works up some mad scientist bizness behind the bar, with Sharpie-labeled bottles and jars filled with oils and essences and sundry bits and baubles to place artfully in or around your glass. The drinks have names inspired by song titles, lyrics, band names and even snippets of conversation Michaels has heard at the bar or around town.

But it's the drink known as Bela Lugosi's Dead -- from the title of a Bauhaus song -- that struck me first. The "martini" confusingly comes in a wine glass (even the martinis don't come in martini glasses these days), and it's a freakin' revelation for the palate. Lusty, dark red wine, tawny port, bitter Hungarian liqueur and a chunk of dark chocolate on the side do the dance and sway of intoxication; the rule on this one is "nibble sip nibble sip."

Ah, but then there's the Valentino. Zesty citrus, ginger and the ever-present pomegranate juice finally come together exactly right. It's rich with spicy ginger, it's light, it's effervescent, it's just a little sweet. It's the kind of martini one could drink all night and not regret for a second 'til morning. "I'll be makin' that one 'til I kick the bucket," says Michaels. "Good synergy, romantic name, sometimes you just nail it."

At Zahtar (formerly Martini Blu), the easygoing martinis are clearly influenced by the Far East. The Basinger ($11) combines Charbay green tea vodka, Cointreau and muddled basil and ginger, resulting in smooth sailing down the gullet, where all the flavors alight on the tongue in turn. For something a little sweeter, try the Black Warrior Sochu ($11), which features Japanese rice liqueur, vodka and Chambord in a lovely and curious melange.

Though its martinis are at best a variation on a theme (a lot of classic cocktails served as martinis or sweet creamy Bailey's, Frangelico or vanilla-centered creations), the Imperial Room does offer one thing that's a cut above for poor pockets: martini flights. You get three slightly smaller versions of drinks from their expansive three-page drink menu, all for the highly economical price of $10.

The martini list is limited to a mere three or four offerings, but two of them are solid, interesting libations utilizing uncommon German liqueurs. The much-rumored Krautini ($7) is intoxicating, with it's Kummel caraway liqueur, Steinhäger German gin and sauerkraut juice. It is not a drink for everyone, but don't be put off by the notion of drinking sauerkraut juice, which mostly just adds a light saltiness. The Pfeffertini ($7.25) is another great, made simply with a house-infused black pepper vodka and Steinhäger. The drink winds up a rich, deep tan with all that black pepper.

Azia sticks to Asian simplicity with its martinis. The very few components are often as basic as chilled, infused vodka with the fresh crispness of lemongrass or ginger. The Lychee tea-tini is exactly as it sounds: light, refreshing lychee fruit with slight notes of tea and a couple of the fruits settled down into the glass. The hibiscus martini comes with a beautiful, sensuous hibiscus flower, and perhaps most luxuriously, Azia offers an ice wine martini, giving you the opportunity to savor the delicacy of wine made from grapes purposefully frozen so as to elicit only the richest juices.

The Pegu Club is pretty divine, a drink for all seasons with Boodles gin, orange curaçao, lime juice, Angostura bitters and orange bitters, it's an orangey, sweet, citrusy delight. Prohibition only offers a few martinis, but they're all good ones.

This drink list is not to be trifled with. Since it expanded to hard liquor and later hours and moved to the old Rossi's location in September, Hell's Kitchen already has some heavy hitters in the yummy department. The menu's still in flux, but with a recent seasonal drink called the Fall Monk, made with squash puree, Benedictine and Frangelico, then rimmed in maple syrup and toasted walnuts, you can see that Hell's is bringing the same elegant decadence to martinis as they've been putting into breakfasts for years.

A happy fun-time nightspot with a large martini list, Jitters often has live music, karaoke or other performances. So if you need some entertainment with your Sidecar martini or Funky Monkey (a creamy banana chocolate confection), this is the place to go. It's also a nice, dark, cozy date destination.