Drink of the Week

Denver may be totally landlocked, but even so, a tropical storm blew into town this winter when Gumbo's opened in LoDo and began serving its potent Hurricane. According to legend, the bright-red cocktail was created during World War II when brown liquors, such as whiskey, were in short supply; in order to purchase just one case of the coveted whiskey, bar owners were forced to buy as many as fifty cases of the much more plentiful rum. To get rid of the surplus, Pat O'Brien's, a classic saloon in New Orleans, invented a fruity rum drink and served it in a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp.

Housed in the renovated Sugar Building on the 16th Street Mall, the swank Gumbo's cooks up Creole and Cajun food, and mixes a gale-force version of the classic cocktail. Made with generous portions of Bacardi Silver, Bacardi Gold, Bacardi 151, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine, Gumbo's Hurricane ($6) is served on the rocks in the signature glass and garnished with orange and lime slices. But hold on tight; more than one of these is bound to blow you over.