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| - Even back home in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's hard to find a lounge where good drinks, small crowds, great ambiance, and plenty of good seating mesh.
The seating at Boltinis is comfortable and intimate. Think black leather semi-circle booths with high backs in the middle of the room. Towards the back of the room are black leather rectangular IKEA couches with glass tables and candlelight everywhere.
The drinks are large, mixed well, strong, and tasty. Personally, I prefer a perfect (half dry, half sweet vermouth) gin martini, shaken.
You CANNOT go wrong with the cheese plates here. Make sure to come at least in a group of four so you can order the 3 cheese plate. You choose from a cheese list and it is brought out with sliced baguettes (toasted and non-toasted), fruit (green apple slices, grapes), and olives. I would highly recommend the gueyere, euro cream, and the cheese infused with port wine. But seriously, pick and choose to your hearts content because the pairing of great cheese with great drinks will make you feel reallll sexy.
I exposed my friends for the first time to Boltinis last weekend and they were highly impressed with the classy setting, quick servers, and amazing cheese and drinks. Even on a hectic Saturday night, we found a nice seating area in the back of the pit for all 8 of us.
Boltini Lounge is a place that should stay hidden (thank God it's in dtown Champaign and not on campus) for its adventurous, sick-of-underage-teenybopper-gangsta-wannabes, discriminating clientele.
I tell my friends that Boltini Lounge is where the people sick of the same scene at Joe's, Fubar, or even SoMa turn to.
We will be there again tomorrow night for a birthday :)
EDIT:
Only downside is that they don't serve wine... So unfortunately you can't bring your own bottle of nice wine to enjoy here. But I guess you're supposed to be here for the martinis right?
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