I wanted to check out the “All Night Happy Hour” at the Arsenal last night: $4 well drinks, $4 appetizers and $3 beers. However, I soon found out that it was all a misprint, a leftover special from the football season. Now happy hour here is the standard 5-7pm variety. Disappointed!

To make myself feel better I ordered up the chocolatey Crazy Dutchman ($9) from the specialty cocktail list. A potent mix of Van Gogh Chocolate Vodka and vanilla schnapps with a light dusting of white chocolate powder on the rim, this isn’t your usual ultra-sweet chocolate cocktail. They don’t use chocolate sauce, creamy liqueurs or chocolate kisses so it may disappoint those looking for dessert in a glass. But at least it doesn’t candy-coat your tongue or upset your stomach. Even Dre, who’s on an anti-sweet diet, was able to sample it guilt-free.

Because of the lack of frills, there isn’t much of a presentation. Just a lone maraschino cherry (blech) straddling the lip of the glass. (Would have been a lot cooler if they had a curling piece of chocolate shaving instead.) And that dusting of white chocolate powder can only be detected by running your finger along the rim. Looking at the cocktail, it could actually pass for a straight-up vodka martini (save for the cherry).

And, boy, is this stuff crazy strong! It tasted like just what it is: lots of pure chocolate vodka with a hint o’ sweet. I liked it though because it was so simple and different from the chocolate martinis I usually encounter. When I had Dre take a sip she exclaimed, “Fuck me! We gotta tell the boys [at Ford’s] to buy some of this vodka.”

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