Dark and Stormy at Bar Pilar. Photo by furcafe.

Drink of the Week: Dark and Stormy
Where: Bar Pilar, The Passenger

There are lots of great ways to beat the summer heat, but few are better than a quintessential tropical cocktail. The Dark and Stormy, popularized in the beach-filled climes of Bermuda and Australia, satisfies that warm weather craving for something sweet and refreshing. Composed of dark rum, ginger beer and an optional slice of lime, this is one of those deceptively simple drinks that turn on the quality of the ingredients. A great Dark and Stormy is spicy, complex, and has a kick of gingery heat.

Any ginger lover knows that a good ginger ale or ginger beer is hard to find. Most commercial brands don’t actually contain any ginger and are often sickeningly sweet. Bar Pilar uses Fentiman’s Ginger Beer, a true ginger beer in the sense that it’s actually been fermented and contains a trace amount of alcohol. Lower in sugar than other brands, it makes for a crisp drink with a bite of ginger at the end.

And, of course, we can’t forget the dark rum. The Passenger is currently serving up the Kraken Stormy, a Dark and Stormy made with ultra-dark, ultra-strong Kraken rum. Named after the mythical sea beast, Kraken lends the drink a hefty spiciness, alongside vanilla and caramel notes. If you want to try your hand at a Dark and Stormy at home, be sure to get a good quality dark rum like Gosling’s Black Seal, and flavorful ginger beer, such as Reed’s Ginger Brew.

Small Bites

Last call on Chinese lobster
TenPenh, a Pennsylvania Avenue staple for the last eleven years, will be closing at the end of the month due to an inability to renegotiate their lease. Passion Foods, owner of TenPenh, DC Coast, Acadiana, and Ceiba, has not ruled out relocation, but no plans are in currently in the works. Just to be safe, stop by for a last bite of smoked Chinese lobster or crispy whole fish.

Bryan Voltaggio coming to D.C., sort of
Don’t want to schlep out to Frederick to enjoy the inventive fare at Volt? WaPo has the scoop on Voltaggio’s two latest projects, including a new bistro in Chevy Chase featuring “whole animal usage.” The other concept, North Market Kitchen, is a restaurant and food emporium that will be situated in downtown Frederick.

Capital cupcake-share
Sprinkles, part of Georgetown’s vaunted cupcake district, will giving away a free cupcake to anyone who shows their Capital Bikeshare fob at their 3015 M Street Northwest location between June 20-24.

Silver Platter Flicks
Silverdocs is showing three food-related films in this year’s schedule. Cafeteria Man highlights the effort to improve Baltimore’s school lunch program, while El Bulli: Cooking in Progress and Jiro Dreams of Sushi look at the obsessive compulsive world of high end cooking and dining. Tickets are $11 for general admission, and $10 for students and Silverdocs members.