When you’re in the mood for a cold, refreshing beverage forget about the Miller Light and head to Old Town where Jackson 20 (on King Street) is the King of Cocktails! We headed over on Friday night, in desperate search of patio dining that didn’t involve sitting 1 foot away from the next table and found the spacious, tucked away patio in the courtyard shared by Jackson 20 and The Hotel Monaco Alexandria perfect. From the small “picnic bench-esque” tables to the assortment of potted herbs as table decoration, the feel is definitely down-home Southern style. And once you open the menu, that doesn’t change one bit!
The number one must have is the bucket of fried chicken – I had to beg my husband to get this, so I could try the trout, then proceeded to eat most of his meal because it was so finger-licking good, I just couldn’t get enough of it – and this is coming from a girl from Buffalo! Also not to be missed are the hush puppies, creamed spinach, grilled romaine hearts and fried green tomatoes (and I am a serious fried green tomato eater!)
But, now to what I really wanted to write about – the cocktails! We tried several of them! (Hey, it was the start of a long weekend!) My favorite was the “Cuzmopolitian” – a sangria-like mixture of Plymouth Gin, Absolut Apeach, Cointreau, fresh squeezed lemon juice, muddled pineapple and a floater of pinot noir. Not to be missed are Jackson 20’s takes on some of the classic whiskey cocktails including the Blackcurrant Whiskey Sour (Woodford Reserve, blackcurrant jam and lemon juice) and the Virginia Gentleman (Gentleman Jack, honey liqueur, bitters and lemon juice, finished with ginger beer).
So, take the next beautiful day as your cue to clear your head while enjoying the weather while sipping on a little somethin’ on the back patio at Jackson 20, I promise, the Southern comfort will make you want to stay a while!
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