Summer is here, and a new crop of summer cocktails has invaded drink menus in Mile High bars. Fruity drinks are perennial favorites, with mango mojitos and watermelon martinis offering a fresh twist, and newly popular fruits like lychee and star fruit cropping up regularly. Some of the hottest drink ingredients sound more like they belong in a salad than a cocktail, with cucumber, ginger and bleu cheese in the mix.
Next time you’re overheating and in need of cool drink, set out to find one of these refreshing summertime quenchers.
Tropical twists at Zengo, Tamayo
At Zengo (1610 Little Raven St.) the Mojito Cuzco ($9) can soothe a parched throat with a single sip; fresh cucumber is added to the classic mojito mix of rum, muddled mint and fresh-squeezed lime. If sake suits the mood, the Ginger Sake ($9) comes with a touch of kicky ginger, sweetened by brown sugar, orange and lime juice. Over at sister restaurant Tamayo (1400 Larimer St.) the drinks are equally inventive. Why settle for a basic margarita when you can order one like the Margarita de Jamaica ($8), with hibiscus added to the Torada tequila and lime for a tropical flair. The Margarita de Carambola ($9) blends exotic star fruit and passion fruit for a truly unusual variation.
Lychee liqueur to Pop Rocks
5 (the soon-to-be renovated Blue 67 at 1475 Lawrence St.) is scheduled to open July 8 with a slew of creative new cocktails. The Dragon Boat ($8) is a mix of Soho Lychee liqueur, Grand Marnier and Limoncello lemon liqueur, shaken with pineapple juice and served with a lemon wedge. The 5 signature martini ($8.50) sounds patio-perfect, with Ketel One vodka, coconut rum, raspberry liqueur and tropical fruit juices. Il Fornaio (1631 Wazee St.) also will debut a new bar menu for July, emphasizing light, fruity cocktails to combat the hot days ahead; look for the Tuscan Lemon Drop martini or the Italian Ice Watermelon to cool you down.
If you’re feeling brave, head to Lucky Strike Lanes (500 16th St. ), where the creativity borders on fantastic with the Poppin’ Fruit Salad, ($9) a cocktail made with peach vodka, watermelon and sour apple schnapps, a splash of Sprite, and rimmed with fizzy Pop Rocks candy.
Cool classics with a twist
Not every bar is trying to reinvent the wheel with its summer drinks. Often one new ingredient is all it takes to update a classic. At Strings (1700 Humboldt St., Hendrick’s Cucumber Gin & Tonic ($4) gives a face-lift to the old standard by simply adding fresh cucumber slices. The Strings Dirty Martini ($5) includes bleu-cheese-stuffed olives, and the Clean Cosmo ($5) updates the tired pink girlie drink with white cranberry juice, Cointreau, vodka and lime. At Mynt Mojito Lounge (1424 Market St.), the Mango Mojito is the best seller, but on Saturday night, swing by for “Shaken, Not Stirred,” a party to celebrate James Bond and his classic martini. In addition to the basic James Bond martini ($5), they’ll offer the Sean Connery ($5), with raspberry vodka and fresh raspberry puree, and From Russia With Love ($5), with a lemon twist.
Sleuth out Jazz Bar, Herb’s Hideout
It’s not just cocktails that get updated each summer. Seems we tend to be busier and more easily bored with these long lazy evenings to fill, but a little digging will uncover plenty of new events.
Hit the newly opened Jazz Bar (1037 Broadway) tonight for an event called Community, put together by Tom Hoch of the Mile High House DJ collective. It’s not easy to find. Located in the basement of Serengeti nightclub, the Jazz Bar has a separate entrance through the back alley. Tonight’s $5 cover gets you in for a set by Rick Preston along with Hoch and other Denver mixmasters.
Want to bring your own playlist to the party? Head to Herb’s Hideout (2057 Larimer St.) Wednesday for iPod vs. iPod. Anyone who signs up for a 15- to 30-minute DJ slot can plug an iPod straight into the mixing board.
“It’s so much easier as a DJ,” says Kevin Kowalzyck, who started the event. “Instead of crates with hundreds of CDs, I have an iPod with 10,000 songs on it.”
Kat Valentine writes about nightlife Fridays in 7Days. Reach her at kat@kingproduction.com or call 303-820-1568.
