High profile bartenders and their fancy cocktails have mixologists stepping into the limelight.

Raising the bar [Metro Philadelphia]

It’s the Philebrity Salon at 700 Club. Looks like lots of interesting drinks from barkeep Anders Larson. Hmmm, are bartenders the next DJs?

Kelly White checks out the new $25 prix fixe Sunday brunch at Tinto. [UWISHUNU]

A new vegetarian food blog, Veggicurious checks out the huevos Mexicanos at Dos Segunodos. And by the way why are so many of Philadelphia’s food blogs vegetarian? [Veggicurious]

See, this is what we mean. Living On The Vedge checks out Carman’s Country Kitchen and finds French toast worth paying attention to. [Living On The Vedge]

And in things that still don’t suck, Philebrity salutes The 700 Club. [Philebrity]

Phillyist’s Angela counts down her top 10 Philadelphia area meals of 2008. [Phillyist]

The Brew Lounge hits up  Philadelphia Brewing Company’s Holiday Party and then gets dinner at Earth Bread + Brewery. [Brew Lounge]

Mac & Cheese says don’t read this post, just get yourself to Cafe con Chocolate for Mexican and Japanese. Yep! Mexican and Japanese. [Mac & Cheese]

Adam Erace hits up his old stomping grounds in University City and has some Mexican from a cart and some chocolate from Naked Chocolate Cafe. [Blogalicious]

Mac & Cheese compares and contrasts Philadelphia’s Indian delivery spots, Ekta and Tiffin and picks a winner. [Mac & Cheese]

The 700 Club and Almanac Market have teamed up to offer “The Almanac Mulled Cider Martini. [Phoodie.info]

In certain applications I’ve found it [Bluecoat Gin] absolutely endearing; one being a smart martini offered by bartender Kurt Wunder at 700 Club, the smoky corner bar in Northern Liberties: Wunder adds a dash of aromatic orange bitters to the traditional dry vermouth, and serves it with a lemon twist.

Kip Waide, the master bartender at Southwark, credits Bluecoat – along with the cucumber-y Hendricks – for giving gin virgins a gentler first experience. It makes for a softer negroni (equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, orange slice garnish); it smooths out James Bond’s classic vesper (3 parts gin, 1 part vodka, 1/2 part blonde Lillet). In a gin and tonic, an orange slice plays up its softer-citrus side.

Which may help convert young vodka-holics. But hard-core gin purists may prove tougher customers: They tend to covet that dry, clean (unsoftened) bite of juniper.

Bluecoat Gin [Official Site]