Sometimes only a martini will do. Sometimes you just need to sip and sit, maybe think, but not necessarily so.

Jimmy Oh's makes some great sit-and-sip martinis. Professional mixologist Doug McCowan shakes a mean martini, and he swears it's the ice crystals that make it, but we're thinking it's more likely the blast of chilly alcohol that leads to eventual enlightenment.

In any case, the Saketini is practically irresistible - it's got the clean, crisp bite of wasabi along with the clear, sweet, rich taste of lychee fruit. Drop by Jimmy Oh's, 3241 W. Iles Ave., grab a barstool and order a Saketini.

How to make it:

Start with a 6 oz chilled martini glass. In a shaker with ice, mix 2 ounces of wasabi-infused vodka and 2 ounces of St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur. Shake vigorously and pour through a strainer into the glass.

Story published Tuesday, December 1, 2009 ( Volume 4, Number 6 )