Drinking D.C.: A Rake’s Progress at the Line Hotel

Editor’s note: Unfortunately, the fabulous Rake’s Progress closed in June 2020, another local business that fell victim to the COVID-19 business disruption. We’re maintaining the review for posterity’s sake.

Readers of this blog know I enjoyed my initial visit to the Line Hotel, when I stopped in at Brothers and Sisters on the first floor.  The thing that I was totally blown away by was the space:  a sprawling lounge inside an old church under a soaring ceiling.  Recently I was able to return and check out A Rake’s Progress – another restaurant in the same space but on the second floor.  Incredibly, the space at Rake’s is even more awe-inspiring.  You see, on my last visit, I forgot that this old church probably had windows:

That’s one of two such windows on the second floor, caught here at the golden hour, which incidentally is probably the only time you’ll be able to find a reservation here.  But book it anyway and dine in the late afternoon so you can witness the wonderful effect this creates in the bar area.  Also the chandelier:

I thought this was amazing and very much wanted to try to swing from it.  A friend disagreed, pronouncing it ugly.  Love it or hate it, subtle it is not, and you should definitely go see this space for yourself.

Oh, and they also serve drinks and food.  And these are also quite good.  I  I had a chance to sample three cocktails on my visit here.  The first was the Good Luck Road:

Our waiter, who was a very gracious host and keen explainer of the rather elaborate cocktail menu (see below), likened this drink to a Manhattan.  It certainly has qualities of that classic.  But this is its own drink, with a pleasant spiciness provided by an allspice dram by D.C.’s own Cotton & Reed.

I also tried the Haymaker, from the “Shrubs & Switzels” section of the menu:

This cocktail is based on rum (again supplied by Cotton and Reed), which is mixed with ginger vinegar, honey, and “jqd saline” (which is perhaps a solution derived from J.Q. Dickinson salts?).  The drink has a slightly tiki vibe, but the vinegar adds a nice complexity to the drink, giving it a distinctive tanginess that is unlike other cocktails I’ve tried.

Finally, also tried the “Rakey,” Rake’s take on the original D.C. cocktail, the Rickey:

This one, I will confess, was not my favorite cocktail of the evening.  But I get what it was going for.  “It’s very dry, isn’t it,” my very accommodating waiter/cocktail sensei remarked on my feedback.  He then graciously replaced it with the Haymaker I just described.  Yes, it’s dry, although that was not my problem.  There was a subtle vanilla flavor that did not quite work for me in this one.  But I think this was a matter of personal preference.  The other cocktails were very strong, and I will definitely be returning to make my way deeper into the menu.