Pink Martini Bar and Bistro, 6700 Lonetree Boulevard, Suite 100, Rocklin, 916-773-7465, pinkmartinirestaurant.com

A martini bar in Rocklin is remarkable enough, but add to that a name fitting an episode of Sex and the City, and you get a sense of the Oliver brothers’ (Kyle and Matthew from House of Oliver) vision for their new venue: Pink Martini. Located in Rocklin’s Blue Oaks Town Center, the bar and bistro has a hip, nightclub-like vibe—even on a Sunday afternoon, when I arrived for a late brunch dressed tragically unhip. 

Concrete floors, grey walls, and a black bar highlighted by neon pink bar lights reinforce the sensation of having never left last night’s fun and festivities. The spacious outdoor patio provides a respite for those seeking to improve their levels of vitamin D and O2; and for the rest of us…ahem, you, a Bloody Mary of soon-to-be legendary status.

“The Remedy,” as it’s billed, is a chimney glass filled with their house-made Bloody Mary mix, ice and the appropriate clear spirit, topped with a skewered shrimp, and drum roll please, a chicken and waffle sandwich with bacon (because, why not?). Now that’s the way to start a Sunday brunch…or any brunch, or any Sunday for that matter. The chicken and waffle portion of this behemoth can be ordered as a separate brunch item and includes a fried chicken breast with house-made hot sauce, a Belgium waffle, and rich maple syrup.

If you’re not feeling the need for a “Remedy,” you might want to start with the Smoked Salmon Crepe. The salmon is hot-smoked—vs. cold-smoked lox style—and wrapped in a thin, golden pancake that has a tinge of sweetness, with briny capers, and a creamy sauce on top.

If you’re planning on an appetizer before dinner, try the Chardonnay Mussels. The sweet, tender mollusks and white wine, garlic, and shallot-infused broth beg to be slurped from the bowl (I told you I was unhip!). 

Also on the dinner menu is the aptly named Brick Chicken, a half-chicken grilled under a brick—ensuring the bird cooks evenly and quickly, and the skin is crispy and delicious. The lucky fowl is then smothered in sumptuous chanterelle mushrooms and a decadent chicken jus and served with steamed vegetables. 

When it comes to dessert, the Lime Meringue Tart—a perfectly tart lime curd crowned with torched meringue and served in a martini glass with a shortbread cookie—is a playful take on the classic pie, and one of many musts at Pink Martini.   

Hours:  11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Sunday), 11 a.m.-midnight (Monday-Thursday), 11 a.m.-1 a.m. (Friday), 10 a.m.-1 a.m. (Saturday)

Try This: “The Remedy” Bloody Mary, Smoked Salmon Crepe, Chardonnay Mussels, Pork Belly Mac and Cheese, 1/2 Pound Bistro Bacon Burger, Brick Chicken, Lime Meringue Tart, Pink Martini

Alcohol: Full bar; beer, wine, and cocktails

Tab: $$

Heads-Up: Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; daily Happy Hour from 3-6 p.m. and 11 p.m.-close (includes food and drink specials); private banquet and exclusive patio can accommodate up to 150 people; gluten-free and vegetarian options; kids’ menu; check their Facebook page for special events

By Lorn Randall