Tokyo Punch Shiki Sushi Southwest Durham $7.75 Tokyo Punch was a lovely surprise for this cosmopolitan lover. Most people might assume that a cocktail made with vodka, cranberry, Midori, and brandy would be awfully similar to a cocktail made with vodka, cranberry, lime, and triple sec, but I somehow missed the connection between the two
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Socialite on Thin Ice W XYZ Lounge, Aloft Hotel Chapel Hill $9 It’s been way too long since I’ve done a cocktail review-—glad I could bring you a unique one this time! This is a mix of Crown Royal whiskey, espresso, triple sec, and cream. That ingredient list reminds me of many times that I’ve
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Qahweh Sitti, Downtown Raleigh Website $9 The Qahweh is a coffee cocktail made with espresso, Stoli Vanil, Bailey’s Irish cream, simple syrup, and a thimbleful of espresso beans. It is served frothy with a few ice chips in the mix, which I always enjoy. The Irish cream is by far the strongest taste, and that’s
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Mirwinator Blu Seafood 9th Street, Durham $9 The mirwinator is made of Evan Williams brandy, thyme, orange juice, and lemon juice. Except for the thyme, that’s a pretty standard list of ingredients, and there’s a reason for it. The combination of those flavors always makes for a first-rate cocktail, and the mirwinator is no exception
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The Old Ceremony Motorco Central Park District, Durham $6 As you can see, I’m not talking the band here, which I happen to love, but the shooter named after them by Motorco. The first time I went to Motorco, I thought naming shots—there’s no cocktail list here, just fancy shots—after local bands was a fun
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Modern Paloma Rockfish Grill, Durham This cocktail—I hesitate to call it a margarita, though I think it was under that heading in the restaurant’s drink list—is made with Milagro silver tequila, Licor 43, and red grapefruit, orange, and lime juices. A paloma, I’ve just learned, is a popular Mexican cocktail made with tequila, grapefruit soda
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El Capital Dos Perros, Durham $10 Wow, this New Year’s Eve special cocktail takes its description as a twist on a Manhattan seriously! It’s a very strong drink—assuming Dos Perros adds it to their specials list on occasion, only order it if you like a stiff drink. Luckily, I do! It’s made with hornitos anejo
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Hot Date Jujube Chapel Hill $9 Alas, no picture for this cocktail review, but don’t let the lack of visual stimulation stop you from trying it out. The Hot Date is made of jujube preserves, bourbon, cayenne, and lemon. And it is one hot date, as far as that cayenne’s concerned! The flavors of this
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Revolution Red Cosmo Revolution, Durham Website $10 This drink is a pretty straight cosmopolitan except for a splash of pomegranate juice added to the vodka, Cointreau, and lime juice. It’s way stronger in flavor than a cosmo should be, meaning they probably added more than the advertised splash of everything but the vodka. I’m not
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Motorco Music Hall 723 Rigsbee Avenue Central Park District Website Mon–Fri, 4 pm to 2 am Sat, 11 am to 2 am Nice sign, huh? Motorco is an almost two-month-old addition to the corner of Rigsbee and Geer, transforming a former car dealership into a rock club with a capacity for 500. I went for
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