Bloom gets an update

New cocktails. (Credit: Provided. )

When he saw the Flirtini on the menu at Bloom, beverage director Regan Jasper knew things had been left unattended too long.

Working for Fox Restaurant Concepts, he'd put that sweet, trendy drink on the menu 10 years ago.

Now he cringes at the thought of it lingering so long.

For a decade, Bloom has been delivering a reliably satisfying, upscale experience, running on culinary and cocktailing autopilot. It was a destination for special-occasion meals and those times when you don't want trends, surprises or any other flashy shenanigans that would annoy your grandma.

But the Valley's dining landscape has become more sophisticated, more crowded and more competitive since the airy restaurant, decorated in (almost-dated) baby blue and chocolate, opened at the Shops at Gainey Village.

So now the place has a slightly updated décor, and a totally revamped menu, one that edits the superfluous and leaves in the best dishes and drinks.

In other words, the flirtini Flirtini is out, the wine flights have been trimmed from 21 to a more manageable 16, and now the chef is making his own pasta.

The new drink menu makes Bloom a legitimate cocktail destination for the first time in years. Its daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., during which all drinks, wine flights and appetizers are half off, makes it an affordable one, too.

But before we get to the cocktails, I must note the following: Bloom has managed to make potato skins chic, something worthy of a woman who prefers heels to flats and champagne to beer. Made with fingerling potatoes, just a smidge of cheese and real bacon, you have to see, and taste, them for yourself.

The Blooming Daisy is the bar's signature drink, made from Belvedere vodka, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and raspberries, and it serves as an elegant, not-too-sweet cocktail that should appeal to almost any palate.

The Tres Flores is a more distinct martini, made tart and refreshing with Plymouth gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur and hibiscus syrup. It's shaken and served in a glass with a hibiscus-sugar rim.

The Date Night is one of the menu's most ambitious cocktails, made with whiskey, Averna, dates, lemon and honey. The drink is rich, but vaguely medicinal and represents a sharp departure from anything else on menus around the city. It's one to order and make your friends try.

The menu also features updates on the lemon drop in the form of the Elderflower Drop; the margarita in the form of the Blood Orange one; and the mojito, with the Black & Blue one, featuring the requisite mint and lime along with muddled raspberries and blackberries.

The Peach Champagne cocktail is also a standout because it moves beyond the Bellini as a complex, aromatic drink that's perfectly balanced, using Plymouth gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, peach puree and sparkling white wine.