SOHO   

Like the downtown Detroit nightclub Times Square, Ferndale's Soho gets zero points for originality when it comes to its name. But, really, what's in a name? When this lounge/bar opened along Nine Mile in 2004 (it replaced The Fern restaurant), it brought along a stylish and colorful new spot to enjoy cocktails and company. Kind of cozy, size-wise, six tables-for-two sit along the east wall, giving way to an open area before the bar. More tiny tables are along the west wall, right behind a hip, copper-tile fountain in the window that faces Nine Mile Road. Custom, original artwork, much of it large and bold, makes great decor. Soho is basically a one-room setup, but it gives the drinkers a little space to spread out. A couple of flat-screen TVs on each wall show music videos (a lot of Top 40 dance stuff), as well as assorted video patterns. Intimate with a kind of classy charm, it's a nice pre- or post-dinner spot, excellent little date place (very conducive for one-on-one conversation) or just a stop in between the many other bars in Ferndale. Gay-centric but certainly not exclusionary, this newest state in the cocktail nation will hopefully stay around for a while.