(Photo by IntangibleArts)
Drink of the Week: Beer and a shot
Where: Codmother, Looking Glass Lounge, Showtime Lounge, etc
Have you seen the price of cocktails in this city lately? Finding a mixed drink for $10 is a bargain, and it’s not uncommon to see a well-made drink sell for upwards of $14. Beers can fetch similar prices. The economy may be on the rebound, but still, those prices are no way to sustain a long night of drinking.
Often times, the elixir for a long week or hard day at work is a simple beer and a shot (usually whiskey) combo. Affordability and potency trump taste or creativity. And despite D.C.’s tendency to trend toward the uppity, cheap combos are out there at neighborhood bars.
The Codmother (1334 U Street NW) has a $6 beer and whiskey combo, and you get a pick of beer from such selections as PBR, Natty Boh, and Genesee Cream Ale. There’s no light beer served here. The side of mystery whiskey is a generous pour and fits in perfectly with this U St. bar. Another great option is the cash-only Showtime Lounge (113 Rhode Island Ave. NW) in Bloomingdale, which serves up $5 Natty Boh and whiskey pairings.
In Petworth, Looking Glass Lounge (3634 Georgia Ave. NW) has a Natty Boh and Jim Beam bourbon combo for $6. Even the “upgraded” $8 gentleman’s combo of Yeungling and Clontarf Irish whiskey is still a pretty good deal. Snag a spot out on the back patio and you’re set for some high-value drinking. The nearby DC Reynolds pushes the boundaries of affordability by serving $10 combos featuring local beer like DC Brau porter and upscale whiskey like Jameson Caskmates.
Small Bites:
Japan, meet Ireland
Japan and Ireland are not natural companions. Then again, they’re both island nations that produce top-notch whiskey, so there is some common ground. Daikaya Izakaya (705 6th Street NW) is embracing its inner Irish this weekend with another installment of its rotating late-night Saturday menus. From 11 p.m. to last call, the Japanese spot will pivot from its normal offerings to serve dishes like beer-battered sausage with chips and trigo, a wheat cereal frappé topped with ice cream and Lucky Charms cereal. There will also be special whiskey flights, cocktails, and a live DJ.
New late-night cocktail and salsa (dancing) happy hour
Toro Toro (1300 I Street NW) has a new late-night happy hour with select house liquors for $4, $5 beer, red and white wine and cocktails from $5 to $7. Hours run Thursday from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. or Fridays and Saturdays from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will also be snacks like smoked guacamole, tacos, and Korean-style fried chicken wings. Who knows … sipping on a discounted prickly pear chilcano or two may be enough liquid courage needed to get up for the free group salsa dancing lessons, which happen Thursdays from 9 to 10:30 p.m.
In the green room
The monthly Monday-night cocktail series at The Royal (501 Florida Ave. NW) is a go-to gathering for anyone interested in creative spirits and drinks. The next event happens this Monday, March 14th, featuring green and Irish spirits like whiskey, green Chartreuse, and absinthe along with ingredients such as kiwi purée and green tea. The special “St. Patso Day” drinks, developed alongside guest bartender Patrick Owens, will be served from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., not to mention Irish coffee snow cones for $4 and a green punch fountain.
St. Patty’s Day on a pizza
Pizzeria Paradiso (multiple locations) is putting Ireland’s cuisine on a pizza. From March 17th through the 21st, the local pizzeria and craft beer haven will serve a holiday-inspired pizza with corned beef, roasted cabbage, roasted potatoes, onions and Dubliner cheese. Pair it with a cold draft of Irish stout
