Drink up, sailor

Matt Nurge, barman and co-owner of the new Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar, says that in the two-plus months since Red Rabbit opened, the restaurant’s featured upwards of “60 completely different batches of punch.” In fact, he says, “The possibilities are endless.” Nurge mixes up a mess o’ punch every morning so that when it gets crowded, a patron can get that first, loosening cocktail without waiting 10 (or more) minutes. Good bartenders are always history buffs, and Nurge easily educates patrons on punch’s past as a drink for sailors: “They wanted a drink that quenched their thirst for hearty drink and was healthy,” he says. “An example [of this] is the inclusion of lime juice to prevent scurvy.” Punch: It’s just what the doctor ordered. 2718 J Street, (916) 706-2275, www.theredrabbit.net.