Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMIE GRILL/TETRA IMAGES/CORBIS If there is a perfect way to indulge in a bottle of bubbly, visiting the Champagne Taittinger pop-up bar at the überposh Mandarin Oriental just may be it. After seating yourself in one of the coveted tables near the hotel lobby fireplace, choose between two by-the- glass selections or, should you find yourself particularly parched, six bottle options, including Taittinger's 1998 Collection Series Zao Wou-Ki or 2006 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. The lounge also offers cocktails made with BUBBLING OVER THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL POURS AN OVER-THE-TOP ODE TO CHAMPAGNE. BY JESSICA BOWNE Brut La Française, including (fittingly enough) The Fireplace, with orange bitters, a splash of orange juice, and a twist; the French 776, with sugar and lemon; and the Mandarin Rosemary, with mandarin juice and rosemary syrup. Feeling peckish? Pair your bubbles with luxurious light bites—the bar's food offerings include Osetra caviar with smoked salmon and buckwheat blinis and daily-rotating oysters served with red wine mignonette. 776 Boylston St., 617-535-8888; mandarinoriental.com . 54 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM SCENE DRINK