Photo by Sam HowzitDrink of the Week: Tiki drinks
August is about as close as this swamp gets to tropical weather. And while there are no palm tree-dotted beaches to laze on, there are fruity rum drinks strong enough to make you forget you’re too broke to afford an exotic beach vacation.
Tiki drinks, first popularized by kitschy bars like Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic’s, have gotten a bad rap. Yeah, it’s kinda cheesy to drink your booze out of a pineapple or coconut while surrounded by fake grass wall decor. It’s even cheesier when your drink is cloyingly sweet or arrives at the table on fire. But these days you can enjoy a well-crafted tiki beverage in some more sophisticated settings.
Hogo (1017 7th St NW), from the brains behind The Passenger, offers a refined tiki cocktail fix seven days a week. The rum bar features a selection of aged rums and pairs them with flavors like citrus and ginger, as well as the occasional tropical fruit. And on Thursdays this month, you can hit up Jack Rose’s (2007 18th St NW) rooftop for “Tiki Thursday.” All tiki cocktails, like the classic Zombie, are half-off during happy hour. And no tiki drink would be complete without a beach-appropriate snack. Hogo is currently channeling Hawaii diner food with the likes of spam musubi and mix plates, while Jack Rose has fish tacos and jerk chicken wings.
Small Bites
One sudsy week ahead
D.C. Beer Week is almost here. Get ready for seven days packed with all manner of beer dinners, tastings, concerts, and more. Things kick off on Sunday with the “Hop Chef” beer and food pairing chef contest, sponsored by Ommegang and the City Paper ($55, tickets available online). If you can’t make it to Beer Week’s flagship events, fear not — there are many, many other options to choose from on the full schedule.
Start your OpenTable engines
Summer Restaurant Week is getting close, and you should probably book your tables if you haven’t already. From August 19-25, participating restaurants will offer a three course lunch for $20.13 and three course dinner for $35.13. Check out the full list of restaurants and our past coverage and recommendations.
Clyde’s turns 5-0
Clyde’s is celebrating their 50th anniversary on Monday with free breakfast at their Georgetown location (3236 M Street NW). Stop in between 8-10 a.m. for complimentary egg dishes, juice, and coffee. Throughout the rest of the day, Clyde’s will go retro to commemorate food and drinks popular when the restaurant first opened. Eat like Don Draper with a London broil washed down with a Sidecar.
