The Ivy Room Back in March, I visited the Ivy Room soon after its redesign and re-opening. Since then, they have added specialty cocktails to their full bar, and whichever bartender has developed them deserves a raise! Sure, a full bar ensures you can always get your favorite drink when you want it, but I
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Bangkok Fever @ Jujube Glen Lennox, Chapel Hill My Restaurant Review $10 Once again, Jujube proves to me that their cocktail list is second to none in the Triangle. Bangkok Fever’s ingredient list is Thai-chili-infused reposado tequila, passion fruit juice, and cinnamon salt. And it’s amazing. The essential cinnamon salt livens up every sip, playing
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Cilantro Jalapeno Margarita Calavera (my restaurant review) Downtown Raleigh $8 I have been dying to try the tequila cocktails at Calavera. They plain sound amazing, and it’s hard to go wrong with me, tequila, and something spicy. So ordering the cilantro jalapeno margarita was basically a foregone conclusion. I’ve tried a million varieties on it
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City Kitchen 201 South Estes Drive University Mall, Chapel Hill Website $9—26 City Kitchen is part of the Giorgios Hospitality Group. It is a remodel from Spice Street, transitioning the huge, open space from a restaurant with dramatic, international flair to more of a French corner bistro writ large. The redesign is definitely keeping with
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Calavera 444-101 South Blount St. Downtown Raleigh Website $3 per empanada Calavera is an empanada and tequila bar that—praise the lord—has a kitchen that stays open until 2 am. This is a wonderful, wonderful thing, as any night owl would tell you. Quality empanadas as a late-night snack? It’s divinely inspired, and Raleigh is lucky
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Lunazul Anejo Tequila Jalisco, Mexico   Per the bottle label, this tequila is supposed to awaken my inner wolf or some such nonsense. After a year of exuberance for George R. R. Martin fans like myself, I guess I won’t complain if savoring an aged tequila brings out my inner Stark—I really hope I have
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Dos Perros Brunch with the Social Media Supper Club Downtown Durham Social Media Supper Club Site Dos Perros Website It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Charlie Deal’s restaurants, with Jujube being my favorite in the area. Dos Perros is also a great restaurant with takes on standard Mexican dishes that never fail to
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Tres Generaciones Plata 100% Agave Mexico There are many, many inviting flavors in this tequila. You really ought to sip it on its own at least once. It could do well in a traditional margarita (only lime and triple sec), but I wouldn’t use it in any cocktail more complex than that. You don’t want
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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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