One Drink, Five Ways: Sangria

Black Cat Café

3701 Ingersoll Ave., 255-9895

Black Cat is chic, so it’s no surprise that the presentation of its red sangria was exquisite. A Kool-Aid Man-style pitcher surrounded by modern-looking cocktail glasses garnished with orange slices was served to us on the Café porch — a small but intimate space.

Black Cat owner Oz Kapic wouldn’t reveal the recipe and told us it’s a secret concocted by his “better half” from Romania. Named after the creator, Maria Sangria is officially one of the deadliest drinks in Des Moines. A sip of the stuff unleashes a stimulating blend of fruit juices, most notably fresh orange from the dozens of slices soaking in the pitcher. It’s crisp and actually tastes like it’s good for you.

The Price: $5 a glass, $25 a pitcher that serves about eight glasses. It’s only available Wednesday through Saturday because it chills for at least 24 hours. On Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. plastic cups of sangria go for $2, but the pitcher is still $25. So you’d be better off grabbing eight $2 glasses. (We realized this after the fact.)

The Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. If we knew the ingredients, we’d keep them to ourselves, too. Aside from the aesthetics and the potency, Black Cat gets its wine from local wineries, which you just have to appreciate. We’re dying to go back and try the white sangria. Instead of oranges as the main fruit, the white version contains peaches and is served in stemless wine glasses. Black Cat knows: The little details make all the difference.