Jaunted

Martini purists will obviously be apoplectic about this newest bartending innovation, such as it is. The martini is a delicate drink meant to be served in deliberate portions, the better to keep it chilled and crisp throughout. There are people out there who find vodka martinis borderline offensive, insofar as real martinis are made with gin. There are others who actually get aggressive whenever anyone suggests shaking rather than stirring martinis, since shaking chips the ice and waters down the drink. The Big Dirty is not for them.

Instead the drink is aimed at the twenty-something interns and legislative assistants who inhabit downtown DC and Dupont Circle, many of whom haven't quite gotten college and law school out of their systems. It's basically a scorpion bowl, except with the requisite ingredients and in the shape of a martini. That automagically elevates it from trashy to classy, which is what you want if you're now a grownup working in the nation's capital. We're not going to judge. (OK we're judging; but just a little).

The Dirty Martini is open until 2am most of the week, and 3am Fridays and Saturday nights.

[Photo: Dirty Martini]