[media-credit name=’JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]In every young person's life, there comes a time when he find himself longing for change — something new or different, a shakeup of the old routine, like a bar where you can drink without waking up the next morning with the stale taste of a fishbowl in your mouth, a bar without sweat and grease exhaust flowing from its vents, a bar less noisy than Section O at Camp Randal: in short, a bar where you are all but guaranteed to be the youngest and poorest one there. When that time comes, as it will, my only suggestion is to make your way over to the Tornado Club. Adjoined to the Tornado Steak House, and right off the Capital Square, it is home to some of the classiest drinks and bar food in town.

Once you emerge from a confusing entranceway, revealed only by a humble neon sign, you'll find yourself in the intimate space of Tornado's cocktail lounge. Although you can cozy up to the bar, I suggest you instead relax in the plush black circular seats along the wall, where a sharply dressed waiter will promptly appear and attend to you. While he runs off to get a late-night food menu (which, of course, you want), take in the moody lighting, the tasteful, smoky jazz, the colorful glass lamps hanging right over your table. You'll probably also notice, besides the people decked out in polo finishing their expensive meals in the dining room, that there's only eight or 10 other people in the lounge, and none of them are the usual college set. Don't despair; you've come to the right place.

If you're looking for a snack to split, make sure you get an order of onion rings. Priced at $6.50, the breading is light, flavorful, and just the right thickness without obscuring the taste of the onion. If you're feeling greedy, however, spring for an extra 50 cents and get the steak sandwich — a perfectly seasoned, thick tenderloin cut served with sautéed onions on a toasted roll au jus and with horseradish sauce. It might be the tastiest thing you'll have after 10 p.m.

But you came here for the drinks, right? Don't fret, after 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, all specialty drinks are $2 off. Served straight up in a martini glass, they'll show you class and economy at the same time. Beware, however, of the Pear Margarita — despite its muddled, pleasing hue, its flavor is a bit of a letdown, tasting more like orange juice than pear. Instead, try the Club's amazing Key Lime Gimlet, a creamy, frothy drink with a perfect sweet-and-sour lime contrast. The Angel Martini is also a solid bet, a mix of Absolut Level Vodka and Frangelico with a real hazelnut garnish. In fact, go wild — in a reserved, dignified way, of course — and get anything that strikes your interest. Though tomorrow you might be back at the same State Street dive, tonight is your chance to live the good life.