Concierge: Sweet Sensation
Taste the Shiva cocktail at Davis Square’s new Diva Lounge.
Minutes after you enter Diva Lounge (248 Elm St., Somerville 617-629-4963), the bubblelike cocktail room that opened in Davis Square last spring, don’t be surprised if a feeling of weightlessness sets in. Illuminated pillowy panels cover every wall of this cocoon, making it a soothing addition to the neighborhood’s irreverent bar scene. The cocktails only heighten the experience. Bar manager Taylor Abby makes three signature infusions, which she showcases in decanters set on the bar. One blend is equal parts Bacardi rum and pureed ginger, and that’s the main ingredient in Abby’s Shiva cocktail. After at least 36 hours of saturation, she pours the gingered rum—plus passion fruit, mango and lime purees—over ice, shakes and strains the concoction into a martini glass. Then she sends the libation into orbit with a hint of cayenne pepper. “That gives it a real kick,” she says, “while the tartness of the ginger and the blend of fruit purees add texture.”