Lofty Pursuits
Wicker Park's New House of Bourbon

The Kentucky Derby is Saturday, and as you begin your studious handicapping of the race, we wanted to give you at least one sure bet: where to find a great mint julep.

That would be at Loft Six Ten, a handsome bourbon-fueled lounge possessing the soul of an old-fashioned Southern gentleman, slated to debut Friday in Wicker Park.

Spawned from the same folks who brought you Cortland's Garage and the Stretch, LST is like a fantasy camp for bourbon lovers. The managing partner is a Maker's Mark fanatic, so while you'll be able to find an impressive array of craft brews (or just an Old Style tallboy), when it's Kentucky whiskey you're after, this is your dark-liquored heaven. From Maker's-and-beer cocktails (The Loretto) to a bourbon-spiked barbecue sauce slathered over your Lamb Lollipops (baby lamb chops) and pulled pork sandwiches, you'll have a good time savoring this place's brand loyalty.

The digs aren't bad either. Black-and-white 1960s wallpaper, custom wrought-iron everything and huge black leather tufted booths provide the perfect spot to lounge in, post-dinner, while a DJ, perched high above the proceedings, promises to keep things lively well into the night.

And you're off…