Bartender of the Month: December 2001 By Fritz Hahn washingtonpost.com Staff Writer

Kojo Davis prepares to drop two Bukom Bombs on his customers. (Photo by Fritz Hahn/ washingtonpost.com)

Kojo's signature drinks, including Rum Punch and the Bukom Bomb, are so sweet and fruity they belie the high amount of alcohol within. If you really want a taste of the tropics, ask for the tasty Mango Lane. You won't be able to tell how potent it is, so be careful.

Readers who recommended Kojo describe him as one of the most engaging bartenders in the city, able to talk about anything from African politics to soccer. You can find him almost any night at Bukom -- he'll be the one in the traditional Ghanaian outfit.

A brief Q & A with Kojo

What's YOUR favorite drink?
The Bukom Bomb. I've been serving it for 10 years now.

What's the drink you make most often?
Either the Bukom Bomb or the Rum Punch. Most people like one or the other.

What was the last drink you didn't know how to make?
I don't remember the name of it, but sometimes people pull names or recipes off of the Internet and ask me to make it. It's usually similar to something I already make.

What do you have to do to get '86ed?
I usually don't throw people out. You can tell when someone's had too much, so give them something else -- soda or water or juice. But if they get out of line, bothering other customers, they get thrown out.

Finish the line: A man walks into a bar . . .
... and says, "Give me two single shots." The bartender asks, "Why don't you just get a double?" The man says, "I'm drinking one for myself and one for my brother." He does that for a while, and then one day he comes in and orders just one drink. The bartender asks, "Did something happen to your brother?" And the man says, "No, this is for him. I quit drinking."

What's the best pickup line you've ever overheard?
Oh, I don't know. I really don't hear that many of them.

What song do you wish they'd take off the jukebox?
Anything by James Brown, because it makes me want to come out from behind the bar and dance. I have to focus on the business when I'm back here.

The first sign a patron's drunk is:
Slurred speech. That's when I stop giving them alcohol.

Have you ever dated/gone home with someone you met while you were working?
No. Absolutely not. I'm a married man.

How cheap are people, really?
Most are generous -- I've gotten a $150 tip on a $50 tab.

What piece of bar etiquette do you wish people would learn?
Waiting your turn. But at the same time, have your order ready. It gets crowded, and people wait 10 minutes for a drink, and then they turn to their friend and ask, "What do you want?"

Read about our other bartenders of the month

Who's your favorite bartender? Tell us, and maybe we'll put him or her on the spot next month.