The easiest way to judge the quality of restaurant is by ordering a Mudslide and testing the quality of the drink in comparison to the perfect Mudslide.

For those without the knowledge, a Mudslide is made from a combination of the following:

30 ml vodka (substituted with Barbados rum in Barbados )
30 ml Kahlua® coffee liqueur
30 ml Bailey’s® Irish cream
60 ml cream
60 ml milk
1 banana
3 ice cubes
grated chocolate

The experts will tell you that you should pour chocolate syrup (Hershey’s if you’re from North America/Canada, Cadbury’s if you’re from Great Britain and anything from Switzerland if you are European) around the inside rim of your glass. Add your ice, the rest of your ingredients, blend and serve.

You may have guessed by now that Mudslides are one of my favorite ‘special’ drinks. Not for every day consumption, but for those ‘special’ occasions. They are particularly chocolatey and become a thick alcoholic milkshake on demand. Some people mess around with the formula perhaps increasing or decreasing the amount of rum, Irish cream, or coffee liqueur to achieve a greater satisfaction for the individual.

A nonalcoholic version is available by substituting alternatives with similar flavors, but the smooth kick will disappear. Cold coffee often appears in the version without alcohol.

Art and craft people spend time making pretty patterns on the inside of your glass with chocolate sauce. This will enhance the visual appeal, but makes no difference to the final taste.

TGI Friday’s on the south coast makes a reasonable Mudslide and finds itself in second place. The winner off the best location for a Mudslide is at either of the two Lucky Horseshoe locations. They have mustered the perfection of combination and presentation.

So why’s it called a Mudslide? It ends up various shades of brown and slides down the throat, oh, so very well.