08 Feb Where to Drink: Joselito at Eastern Market
Where to Drink: Joselito at Eastern Market
You may have noticed that we enjoy traveling. We also like staying home, a lot. While we’ll happily fly to Paris or take the train to New York for a good cocktail, when we’re in DC, we don’t often want to leave our own lovely and lively neighborhood of Eastern Market. If we can’t walk there, there’s a good chance we won’t go. Lucky for us, there are plenty of great drinks within a short walk of our apartment, with new options appearing all the time. The newest addition to the neighborhood is a Spanish restaurant and bar called Joselito. An impromptu Tuesday–yes Tuesday– happy hour with our dear neighbor gave us the perfect opportunity to check it out.
The bar service was a tad slow–perhaps they’re adjusting to their sudden popularity–but both the drinks and the food were worth the wait. Even better, during the charmingly named Hemingway Hour (4p-7p), both food and drinks (including cocktails, hurrah!) at the bar are 20% off. Hemingway, of course, spent a great deal of time in Spain, loved his food, loved his drink even more, and quite possibly loved bullfighting best of all–there’s a subtle bullfighting theme, with the name of the happy hour and at least some of the drinks making reference to it.
What We Ordered
Cien Sonatas: Bar Hill gin, rosemary infusion, pear juice, yuzu
Ruisenor: Blackwell aged rum, peach shrub, angostura bitters, lime juice
Red Sangria
What We Thought
The silky smooth sangria came served in an attractive little carafe from which you poured it into an old fashioned glass containing a single, large ice cube. Our favorite thing about the sangria was that ice cube. Rather than floating in the drink, the sangria’s fruit was frozen into the ice cube. It was easier to drink. It was pretty, And it made the drink just a little more fruity as it melted.
The Cien Sonatas, with it’s subtle mix of fruit and herb, was what we had in mind when we ordered the failed Dirty and Delicious over Christmas.
The Ruisenor built layers of bitter spiciness and enjoyable sourness on a strong base of rich sweetness.
All three of our drinks were what you’d hope for from a high-quality happy–ahem, Hemingway–hour: light but not watered down, complex but easy drinking, and well-presented. It was a sophisticated, adult version of the happy hour.
If You Go
Let us know. We’re right around the corner, and we love walking to good drinks with friends.
