Where in Charlottesville can you have "Sex with an Alien?" The answer is just around the Corner.
In fact, "Sex with an Alien" ($4.25) is just one of the many specialty drinks offered by St. Maarten's, the local watering hole serving both University students and townspeople that is located conveniently behind the Corner district.
Popular both as a bar and a restaurant, Maarten's has a strong, loyal following. Booths are spaced around the outside edge of the one-room restaurant with a huge bar in the center. Hanging from the racks above the bar are rows and rows of engraved mugs, belonging to the elite group of regulars known as the Coconut Club.
If you hang around long enough to prove your worth as a patron, the manager just might offer you a coveted mug, but membership is selective. Joining the Coconut Club costs $27, but you can drink from your personalized mug at a discount for the rest of your natural life.
No one offered us a mug.
St. Maarten's has a fairly standard array of appetizers, but the restaurant is well known for its eight types of wings ($5.49) that range in spiciness from the mild teriyaki sesame wings to the infernal seventh plane of hell wings.
The nachos pequenos come in both grande ($6.59) and half ($4.29) orders, though even the half order is enough for a meal or at least a hearty way for two or three people to begin dinner. St. Maarten's is quite generous with the toppings: chili, cheese, sour cream and slabs of jalapenos. Though the chili is not about to win any cook-offs, the nachos pass the test when it comes to a strong appetizer.
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The spinach and artichoke dip ($5.99) comes nicely presented in a huge colorful plate, but the overly creamy dip leads to fruitless games of Dig for the Artichoke. The sharp shredded cheese on top provides a much needed kick to the bland dip.
St. Maarten's offers many seafood entrees in keeping with its beach theme, but seafood does not seem to be their specialty. The fried ocean clam dinner ($8.99) was disappointing. The clams were fine, but the greasy batter did little to relieve the naturally chewy texture. They came accompanied by St. Maarten's standard cottage waffle fries and two heavy hush puppies.
The menu also presents several different pasta options, which the kitchen thoughtfully offers in full or modest portions. Served over pasta with mushrooms and scallions in a creamy garlic sauce, the most popular pasta is the chicken penne ($9.89 full, $7.89 modest). Andouille sausage ($3) can be added to the grilled chicken.
The pasta was not horrible, but it left much room for improvement. The thick sauce had a great taste and texture, but the pasta itself was locked in a bitter struggle with the mushrooms for the award of chewiest food on the Corner. The enormous boulder that accompanied the dish - it was bread, we believe - was too salty and almost tipped the plate over.
The dessert selection is limited, but there are some tasty treats, including ice cream, brownies and sundaes. The chocolate milkshake ($2.99) is a nice size and well decorated with whipped cream and a cherry, but it could have been enhanced with a touch more chocolate.
St. Maarten's prides itself on the banana foster's pie ($3.99), a towering mountain of sugar that will leave even the biggest sweet tooth begging for mercy. Double layers of freshly sliced bananas and vanilla ice cream cover a graham cracker piecrust. Hot foster sauce, a rich but delectable syrup made from Myers dark rum, butter, cream, and brown sugar, tops the whole creation. The dessert is definitely worth a try, just not before slipping into a bathing suit.
Overall, St. Maarten's has a social, relaxing atmosphere, and the Jimmy Buffett classics and mellow tunes that float through the room enhance the laid-back bar scene. St. Maarten's does not rely on live music for atmosphere, which is refreshing since loud bands in many of the Corner bars limit socializing opportunities.
But one drawback of the cozy one-room setting is that there is only one wraparound table that can comfortably accommodate more then four people. This makes for a lot of crowding or hovering over other tables on busy nights.
St. Maarten's is a popular spot for celebrating 21st birthdays, because waiters only card when you drink, allowing friends under 21 to enter the establishment.
With friendly service, great weekly bargains and a diverse menu, the place the restaurant falls short is in the food itself. But Maarten's long list of exotic tropical shooters like The Purple Hooter ($4.25) and Frozen Swedish Bikini ($5.25) make it a fun place to drink and provide a little shot of summer all year long.
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