What’s been ailing you this week? Maybe you’ve had a rough recovery from the holiday weekend. According to history, the mojito (or its predecessor, anyway) was used for medicinal purposes. One legend says that Francis Drake’s crew had scurvy, so Cuban locals gave them four ingredients to make a healing drink with: aguardiente de cana (the precursor to rum), mint, sugarcane juice and lime. Another legend credits African slaves on sugarcane plantations for the drink’s popularity.
Whichever story you prefer, this Cuban beverage is obviously sticking around. And it’s yet another reason to drink, if you didn’t already have one. Lucky for you and your health, there are plenty of places around Dallas where you can sip a mojito tonight. (Disclaimer: I’m not saying these are the best mojitos in Dallas, rather some ideas to get you started!)
San Salvaje – Agave syrup replaces sugar in San Salvaje’s mojito. An excellent patio under the skyline makes this a great place to relax and recoup.
Gloria’s – The Orange Skinny Mojito is popular at Gloria’s, although it’s made with vodka. The more classic Bacardi version is just as nice, and there are plenty of locations around town, so you won’t have to travel far.
Mesa – Flavors options vary at Mesa depending on what fresh fruit is in house. Past versions have been blackberry, strawberry, mandarin and blueberry, and every one of them turns out perfect.
Embargo – This Cuban restaurant in downtown Fort Worth touts a wide variety of mojitos to choose from. Coconut, pomegranate, peach and watermelon are a few of them. You’ll find great tortas and tacos here, and it’s open until 2:00 AM every night.
La Duni – Somewhat famous in DFW for their mojitos, La Duni has orange, berry or criollo options.
If you want to stay in tonight, the recipe is pretty basic as long as you have a muddler. Versions can be found here and here.
