Drink of the Week

That crazy Aussie Steve Irwin may make his living pouncing on snakes and alligators in the untamed wild, but all you have to do to snag such a beast is order a Dirty Alligator at the Cherry Cricket. The Dirty Alligator is one of the Cricket’s specialty shots, served in a mini-martini glass, and it’s big and strong enough to survive in the Outback. Made up of liquor layers — Chambord, Midori and Malibu rum, with Jagermeister floating on top — this adult treat ($5) is a fruity mouthful. But if you don’t want to do the Alligator, the Cricket’s extensive shot menu includes such shooters as the Screaming Orgasm, Russian Quaalude, Chris Farley and — my favorite — the Transient on Heroin. Famous for the best burger in Denver, the sports-themed Cricket is a crowded, casual oasis in trendy Cherry Creek North; it’s a refuge popular with softball teams, yuppies, families and college kids, all of whom mix comfortably at the decades-old Denver institution. But watch out for the Alligator: It definitely bites.