Listen up, foodies. It’s time for a special edition of Food Fight that—you guessed it—isn’t about food at all. When called upon for this mission, I gladly accepted the challenge ahead of me. How would I find signature cocktails to rival the likes of a Nerds Pitcher at Group Therapy or a Fishbowl at (RIP Kildare’s) The Horseshoe? I would put on my classiest game face and hit up a few of the more sophisticated bars in town, that’s how.
Ya-Ya Hurricane
For The Nights You Want to Make Bad Decisions
Bourbon is one of those bars you look at from the outside and say, “I’m not sure I’m classy enough for this.” Upon entering, Bourbon was busy for a Wednesday and converted into a Tiki bar. Having never been in Bourbon before, I was quite sure that the bar was undergoing some kind of identity crisis, but it was actually just a temporary change. The crowd was a bit older—mostly guys coming from work—but the atmosphere was fun. I ordered a Ya-Ya Hurricane, apparently the concoction of the owner himself, which consisted of Breakout Eight-Year Rye, Dark Corner Peach, white whiskey, passion fruit and pomegranate. It is the grown man’s fishbowl, coming in at $13.50 with a limit of two per customer. It is ultra-sweet—the kind of drink that will give you the best kind of sugar rush and the worst kind of hangover if it wasn’t for the quality liquor. I’m not sure these are available all of the time because of the bar’s tendency to—oh, I don’t know—turn into an all-out Tiki bar, but I would return to Bourbon if only for the cool atmosphere.
The Speakeasy Martini
For When You’re Going Through a Bad Break-Up
Speakeasy is easily (see what I did there?) one of the swankier bars in Five Points. Its dim lighting and sophisticated jazz music made me want to talk like an old Hollywood film star, but I tried to resist the urge. When I asked the bartender, Charlie, for Speakeasy’s signature drink, he first suggested a martini. It specializes in traditional, old-fashioned cocktails, he explained. I asked if he could jazz up a martini in a way that wouldn’t make me regret tasting the gin, and he obliged. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Speakeasy Chocolate Martini. If I could rename it, I would call it First Chocolate, Then Alcohol. Charlie made this bad boy with vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate liquor, milk, half and half, plus about a pound of chocolate syrup for garnish. Oh, and he also added in a whole lot of love. Clocking in at $9, this is the perfect cocktail for the sweetest of teeth.
The Mint Cucumber Martini
For the Nights When You Just Want to Relax
“It’s like a spa for your mouth”—an actual thing that I actually said while drinking this drink. I am not a huge fan of mojitos, so I was wary when the bartender at Liberty Tap Room told me that this was one of its signature drinks. I decided that, for research purposes, I probably shouldn’t just drink the things that I liked. Enter the Mint Cucumber Martini ($9.50). It’s made with Hendrick’s gin, lime juice, sour mix, muddled mint leaves and chopped cucumbers. Then, it’s topped with Sprite. The cucumbers and mint make the drink crisp, while the Sprite gives it a sweet, bubbly kick. It is extremely refreshing and one of those drinks you could order after a long day at the office. Considering the bar was technically functioning as my office that night, I’d say it would be fine to order another...
The 76
For When You’re Craving Tequila
Let’s get one thing straight: I love tequila more than anyone in this whole entire world. It’s a great choice for going out and getting a little bit crazy. I also hate tequila more than anyone in this entire world. It creates the perfect cocktail for the “Hangover from Hell.” Do you see my dilemma? Walking into a Mexican restaurant to get drinks, at least for me, is like entering the great unknown. I discovered that not only is Cantina 76 an awesome spot for Mexican, but its drink menu is also pretty great as well and is totally doable on a college student’s budget. I settled on The 76 because it was quite literally named after the restaurant, and I was not disappointed. Essentially a Tequila Sunrise, The 76 is made with tequila, orange juice, grenadine, served on the rocks with an orange slice and will only cost you $5.25.
