Tag: drinking dc

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Online Happy Hour March 2021: When Imbibe Magazine Fell In Love with D.C.

I’m trying out a new post series that rounds up cool posts on blogs and social media about cocktails, with a focus on bringing you great recipes, cool glassware, and fun new places to try out (whenever it’s ok to do that again). Where possible I’ll highlight DMV-based people, places and potables. Without further ado, let’s dive into the first Online Happy Hour, for March 2021.

D.C. Is Imbibe-Famous

This happy hour begins with the March/April 2021 issue of Imbibe Magazine, which twice puts a spotlight on D.C. The first story offers a “taste test” of Bloody Mary mixes, kicking off the slate with Gordy’s Bloody Mary Mix, which I can personally vouch for:

Imbibe loves Gordy’s mix too, highlighting the “freshness” of the taste, the “refreshing flavor of garlicky dill pickles,” and the “subtle spice” on the finish that provides a “pleasant punch of heat.” I agree with all that, plus it’s a great opportunity to support a local business while enjoying a delicious brunch Bloody Mary, Maria or what have you. (And if you’re interested, Imbibe goes on to cover five other options, including two options – Brewt’s and McClure’s – from my home state of Michigan. Want to make a mix from scratch? Check out this new post at Beautiful Booze, titled the Bloody Mary Bar Cart.)

Just a few pages later, Imbibe has a brief write-up on génépy, that alpine liqueur of the Alps that you (if you’re me) always wonder about but never actually pull off the shelf at the liquor store. Imbibe tells you/me we’ve been doing it wrong and should definitely include génépy on the next shopping list. It quotes D.C.’s own Chantal Tseng (@shinobipaws on Instagram and purveyor of the fantastic Cocktails for the End Times), who tells us that génépy is “lovely chilled and served neat, but also so adaptable,” including in a recipe of her creation called Disappearing Earth:

Disappearing Earth recipe
Print Recipe

Disappearing Earth

This cocktail is by Chantal Tseng of the Cocktails for the End Times blog. The Disappearing Earth, as featured in Imbibe Magazine, "harmonizes . . . peach liqueur" with "the floral and herbal essence of génépy."
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Sour
Keyword: Disappearing Earth
Servings: 1 cocktail
Calories: 120kcal
Author: Chantal Tseng
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz. gin
  • 1/2 oz. peach liqueur Chantal recommends Rothman & Winter Orchard Peach
  • 1/2 oz. génépy
  • 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 lime twist

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously
  • Double strain into chilled coupe
  • Garnish with lime twist

Cheers to that! And check out that Imbibe article for the other génépy recipes, which look almost as good as Chantal’s.

News Around Town

The best news I’ve heard in a while regarding restaurants and local businesses came in this Washingtonian report that the Hilton Brothers are planning to reopen most of their bars, including my favorite The Gibson, (fittingly) in a new, as-yet undisclosed location. I previously covered a really cool collaboration between the Gibson and Dandelyan in this Instagram post:

So I’m very much looking forward to its return. And while we are on the subject, I am also very much looking forward to visiting Silver Lyan, that D.C. creation by the folks behind the original Dandelyan bar. Silver Lyan opened like days before the pandemic lockdown and has been biding its time. You can get a preview of what they have to offer through their Silver Lyan at Home cocktail delivery service – I recommend the Project Manhattan:

The Project Manhattan from Silver Lyan

Speaking of getting things at hoe, I learned recently of a new D.C.-based bartender-on-demand service, sort of like the Uber for bartending, called SHKR, founded by Rochelle Louise. Looking forward to trying this service out first thing post-pandemic!

From Around the Web

Here are a few cocktail items of note from around the web. The Tipsy Bartender has a post with cocktail recipes for International Women’s Day. The Moody Mixologist breaks down the recipe for the fantastic Naked and Famous cocktail, offering a few variations you can try and fabulous photography as always. Liquor magazine has 11 cocktail recipes for March, while Difford’s supplies 20 recipes for cocktails with absinthe. If you’re looking to expand your knowledge base, check out Punch’s thoughts on force carbonated cocktails (and on that subject, be sure to check out my recent post on the Aviary gin & tonic, where I show how to use the Perlini, my choice for home carbonation). Or if you’re shopping for a shaker, check out my recent post on what to look for when in search of the best cocktail shaker.

That’s all for this happy hour – bottoms up, and see you next time!

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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:

Golden hour window at A Rake's Progress

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:

Continue reading “Drinking D.C.: A Rake’s Progress at the Line Hotel”

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Drinking D.C.: Ana at District Winery

I guess I’m kind of obsessed with D.C.’s new waterfront areas, but it’s hard not to be with all of the new spots that have opened in the last year.  I’ve covered Del Mar and Requin at the Wharf.  Last weekend I visited Ana at District Winery, the winery/restaurant at the Navy Yard.

Like the original Brooklyn Winery that preceded it, District Winery has wine-making facilities on site.  There is a dedicated tasting room and winery-focused tours.  The site also boasts a large space pitched as an “ideal wedding venue” and, indeed, there was a wedding party in progress when we arrived on a busy Saturday evening.

But there is also a restaurant – Ana.  It faces the Anacostia River, which provides a spectacular view through a wall of glass windows.  Looking back into the restaurant, there is a wall covered with portraits of Presidents in order from first to forty-fifth.  These are painted in various styles and are pretty much certain to generate conversation (don’t worry, not about politics).

And in addition to wine, there are cocktails.  The drink menu:

Ana at District Winery menu

Thanks to some indulgent dining companions, I had a chance to sample several of these cocktails.  The first – the cocktail I actually ordered for myself – was the Smoky Pisco Sour.  This was, as its name suggests, a smoky variation on the pisco sour.  But there was also a subtle spiciness (see “chipotle” in the ingredient list), which played well with the foam head provided by the egg white.  The chipotle (presumably) also imparted a lovely hue on the drink:

Smoked Pisco Sour at Ana at District Winery

Next I tried the Figment of Your Imagination.  Not surprisingly, fig was a featured ingredient here.  The drink’s ingredients include fig syrup, and a torched fig provides the garnish.  But fig was not the most prominent flavor.  Instead, the drink came off as something of a spice market in the mouth.  I mean that in a good way, but I can’t attribute the flavors to the ingredients listed on the menu.  As with the Smokey Pisco Sour, this drink was nice to look at, thanks to the hefty fig garnish (which was delicious, by the way):

Figment of Your Imagination at Ana at District Winery

Although I don’t have photos, I was also able to try three other cocktails here.  The first was the Sin of Manhattan.  This drink is made from your traditional Manhattan ingredients plus cardamom and maple flavors.  The result is a slightly sweeter drink with an additional spicy complexity provided by the cardamom.  It’s a perfect winter cocktail.

Next I sipped the grapefruit basil rickey.  This is a variation on the gin rickey, with grapefruit added to or perhaps replacing the traditional citrus ingredient.  I liked the concept, but I thought there was a bit too much soda in this iteration.

Finally, I also tried the Sounds Like an Apology, made from elderflower, sparkling wine, and sugar, with a rosemary garnish.  This drink also seemed conceptually sound, but the sweetness was a bit heavy, overshadowing the rosemary and elderflower flavors.  Considering ordering this one and asking for just half the bitter sugar cube.

All in all there are some good cocktails to be had at Ana at District Winery.  I’m looking forward to seeing how the menu changes.  There is a great outdoor space next to the river here that would be an ideal spot for sipping some great summer drinks!

Reservations available on OpenTable.  

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Drinking D.C.: Maydan

I had dinner at the newly opened Maydan near U Street recently.   Following a growing trend of new D.C. restaurants opening in alleys, Maydan is at the end of an alley off of Florida Avenue.  Its markings are subtle, making it somewhat difficult to spot on a recent very cold evening in D.C.  But we were immediately rewarded upon entry with a very large fire pit, conveniently located next to the bar.  And what a very nice looking bar it is:

Bar at Maydan

Despite the cold weather and the somewhat early hour of 7 p.m. there was a thick crowd at the bar.  Nevertheless, we were able to find a spot and obtain a menu in short order.

The restaurant explains that its “food tells the story of our own travels, from Tangier to Tehran and Batumi to Beirut.”  Its cocktails do the same, incorporating ingredients with roots in the same parts of the world:

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Drinking D.C.: Brothers and Sisters at the Line Hotel

In between martini reviews and recipes, I want to tell you about my recent visit to Brothers and Sisters at the Line Hotel.  This is the latest outpost of Erik Bruner-Yang of Maketto and is currently “in preview.”  The venue is unique in D.C. – a hotel lobby located inside of a grand old church in Adams Morgan.  In fact, the setting is sufficiently unusual that in my approach up the steps I had to check my bearings to assure myself I was in the right place; and I noticed a few other incoming guests do the same.

But what a venue it is.  Once inside, I walked a short distance to the main lounge area, passing a radio studio (?!) on my left.  The lounge is an enormous room, where comfy sofas sit under a soaring ceiling.  To the left and right of this central seating area are high top tables and two bars.  These areas feature spare decorations fusing collegiate-style crests and banners with vaguely Asian-inspired symbols.

I found my way to one of the bars and took a look at the extensive cocktail menu.  On the first page – which is actually the last page (the menus progress from back to front) – is a list of “classic hotel bar cocktails,” including the Bloody Mary, Bellini, and Mary Pickford.  Next is a list of “classic American cocktails,” like the Mint Julep, Manhattan, and Martinez.  Finally, the menu offers ten original cocktails, “inspired by life, love, music, and friends.”  Here’s a sample from the list:

Brothers and Sisters Menu Page 1

Most of the cocktails sport at least one Asian-influenced ingredient, consistent with the thrust of the food menu.  I asked for a recommendation.  The bartender suggested the Ivy Started It as a “more tangy” option that would not be too sweet.  The description was apt, though the tanginess was subtler than I was expecting.  It was not the type of strong sour taste that comes from citrus.  I appreciated the presentation, a gold-rimmed glass and a large, clear ice cube:

Continue reading “Drinking D.C.: Brothers and Sisters at the Line Hotel”

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Drinking D.C.: Martini Service at Requin

I returned to the Wharf recently to visit the newly opened D.C. outpost of Requin, the Mike Isabella restaurant (the original is in Fairfax).  I had visited Del Mar de Fabio Trabocchi not long before and loved the cocktails, especially the gin and tonic for two, as I reported here.  That was my first visit to the Wharf; I wanted to see what else was on offer in the way of cocktails in D.C.’s newest hotspot.

Requin bills itself as a “French Mediterranean” restaurant, and I wasn’t sure what that would mean in the way of cocktails.  Champagne-based drinks?  Cocktails of various European digestifs and aperitifs?

But no.  Well, maybe, but I didn’t look that far down the menu.  Instead I stopped at the headline – the restaurant’s “Martini Service.”  I should mention at this stage that I am a big martini fan – it’s as classic a cocktail as there is.  But it’s also a crowded field.  So while I make them at home a lot I don’t often order them out.  Here though a restaurant not only had a menu of martinis, but it was also the featured portion of the cocktail menu.  So I had to try it out.

The menu offers a selection of four different recipes, from the “classique,” which consists of the familiar gin, dry vermouth, and orange bitters, to the “evoo,” which is made from olive oil washed armagnac blanche, calvados, americano bianco, and dry vermouth.

I skipped past these, as well as the gibson (gin, pineau blanche, and pickle brine) and chose the 50/50:  half gin, half blanc vermouth.  (Plus lemon bitters – yes, so not technically half each of the preceding ingredients.  But you get the idea.)  I was drawn to this option because I’m usually pretty light on the vermouth in my martinis and wanted to mix it up.  And the gin is a house blend, which made the choice all the more intriguing.

The presentation of the drink is somewhat elaborate.  You receive not just the martini in the glass, but a refill on the side, sitting in ice.  Some assembly is also required in that garnishes (lemon peel and olive) are served on the side so you can pick which you prefer (or both, as I did):

Martini Service at Requin

I liked this martini a lot.   The flavors were very smooth.  I attributed this to the use of blanc rather than dry vermouth (but perhaps it was the mysterious house gin?).  The other benefit of this approach is that it doesn’t pack quite the punch of a gin-heavier martini.  At the same time, the refill probably offset that benefit; by ounces, this is really two martinis (or at least nearly).  As a result, I didn’t try the others on the menu.  But I plan to get back to try them out.

I should add that Requin is a beautiful space as well.  Like many of the new buildings at the Wharf, Requin’s has large windows that face the river.  On nice days you can enjoy the sights of a D.C. sunset, boats passing, or the buzz of pedestrian activity.  (As I write this, it’s 12 degrees outside, so it probably would’t be like that now, but spring is coming!)  And it’s a great stop before going on to a show at the Anthem, which is exactly what we did.  (Saw the Shins, who were fantastic!)

I will be back to explore the other martini and cocktail options at Requin and recommend you do the same.  And if you’re a martini lover like I am, stay tuned for the next few posts.  I have a couple of recipes I think you’ll enjoy!

Reservations available on OpenTable.  

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New Year’s Eve Cocktail Events Round-Up

Drinking on New Year’s Eve is, of course, a time-honored tradition.  Thus, it should not surprise you to learn that opportunities abound for drinking on New Year’s Eve in the District.  (And all across the country, presumably.)

But you want to do it right.  As Chris. Xander advertised in the Washington Evening Star shortly after the New Year in 1901, “‘You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,’ and you can’t make a good Cocktail out of poor whisky.”  To help point you in the right direction, Mr. Xander offered his “Old Reserve” whisky for $1.25 a bottle, for sale at 909 7th Street.  (Side note: awesomely detailed history about Mr. Xander here.)

I can’t send you to Xander’s, which is now either a TD Bank, FedEx Office or a parking garage.  But in the same spirit, I can point you to a few places where you are likely to find a cocktail worthy of the occasion this New Year’s Eve:

Cocktail flight at barmini.  Start your night at barmini with a glass of Dom Perignon and a special New Year’s Eve cocktail flight.  Note that you will probably not be celebrating the New Year here at midnight.  The latest seating (10:15 p.m.) is already full, although you can try for the waitlist.  But it’s not a bad place to start the night as the cocktails here never disappoint.  Reservations are $175 per person and available here.  Seatings still available at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.; 501 9th Street N.W.

Blind Pig: a New Year’s Eve Speakeasy at Barrel.  Barrel in Capitol Hill boasts a raft of original cocktails, including a featured barrel-aged cocktail from its “Lab.”  For New Year’s Eve, Barrel is offering an all-you-can-eat menu and various punches, cocktails, and wines to drink, including sparkling wine for the customary midnight toast.  Tickets are $120 here.  9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 613 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E.

New Year’s Eve in the Spirits Library at Columbia Room.  Recently named the Best American Cocktail Bar, the Columbia Room is hosting a cocktail-and-Champagne party in its spirits library, along with small bites.  Note they are also hosting a class on Champagne cocktails the night before, offering an opportunity to brush up on your own N.Y.E. skillset in the event you will be hosting rather than going out on December 31, as well as to lay to rest that vexing dilemma whether cocktails or champagne are more fitting for the occasion (although at the moment the class is full; they do have a waitlist).  Tickets are $150 for New Year’s Eve and $100 for the class; information on both can be found here.  9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve and 3 to 4:45 p.m. on December 30; 124 Blagden Alley N.W.

Tasting for Two at Dram & Grain.  Dram & Grain at Jack Rose is offering a “special celebration for two” with a five-course cocktail tasting, with food pairings for each course.  First seating is from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the second is from 9:30 p.m. to last call.  The price is $125 per couple, and reservations are made by texting (202) 607-1572.  2007 18th Street N.W.

Finally, don’t forget about the ongoing Miracle on 7th Street pop-up bar in the Mockingbird Hill, Eat the Rich, and Southern Efficiency spaces, covered in the December cocktail events round-up post, which will have its last night on New Year’s Eve.  And if that reminds you that you haven’t finished your winter-holiday shopping, consider our cocktail-themed suggestions here.

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Drinking D.C.: Traditional Chinese Medicine Cocktails at Tiger Fork

I finally got over to Tiger Fork last week, when I met up with some friends there for dinner.  I had read about Tiger Fork’s novel Traditional Chinese Medicine (“TCM”) cocktails in the Post’s Going Out Guide, and I was excited to try them out myself.

Reservations are recommended here, but for what it’s worth there was ample room for walk-ins at 6 p.m. on a Thursday, the time of our reservation.  (It was more crowded when we left a few hours later.  I realize no one dines at 6 – I’m old – but it is a reasonable cocktail hour, so if that’s your focus you probably can walk in.)  Tiger Fork’s interior has great vibe – cozy with warm lighting, like many of its Blagden Alley neighbors.

There is no question that the TCM cocktails are the feature here.  The menu hits you with them first off:

Tiger Fork drink menu

I immediately noticed two things.  First, Tiger Fork’s drinks are listed not merely by name but also by intended medicinal effect.  The 8 O’clock Light Show, for example, addresses fatigue.  Nathan Road aids – perhaps counter-intuitively, for a cocktail – detox.  (At last, vindication that alcohol is the cure-all I always knew it was.  Also, this statement is not remotely FDA-approved; uh, always consult your physician.)

Second, in a warning almost certainly calculated to get you to order at least three of these cocktails, the menu advises that because of the holistic “nature of the recipes we recommend no more than 2 of these cocktails per visit.”

But I’m a rule-follower so this Jedi mind-trick does not work on me, and I order just two.  The first was the Bird Market (immune system):

The 'Bird Market' TCM cocktail at Tiger Fork

This one ended up being my favorite of the two.  It had a pleasant citrus and earthy flavor combination (the TCM ingredients definitely have an impact here).  The second was the Peruvian Chef in a Chinese Kitchen (anxiety):

The 'Peruvian Chef in a Chinese Kitchen' TCM cocktail at Tiger Fork

This one was harder to peg flavor-wise.  As with the first drink there were herbal and earthy flavors that I didn’t recognize and presumably were attributable to the TCM ingredients.  For what it’s worth, I did feel the stress of the work day lifting about halfway through this drink.  But I acknowledge confounding factors (second cocktail, more time since the end of the work day) potentially were at play.

I will certainly be back to try the two I missed.  And if you haven’t been already, you should go too.  No one else is making cocktails like these in D.C., and the novel ingredients should entice you if nothing else does.  And in fact something else does (or should), in that you will also be rewarded with very good food if you decide to stay for dinner!

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Drinking D.C.: Speakeasies in the Washington Post

In its Going Out Guide last week, the Washington Post (digital subscriptions available here) covered several D.C.-area speakeasies in D.C.’s Hidden Bars, Ranked from Easiest to Hardest to Get into.  In the article, the Post’s Holley Simmons (@holleyunedited) tells us how to get seats at Chicken + Whiskey on 14th Street, Nocturne and Backroom Bar in Shaw, Captain Gregory’s in Alexandria, Le Cafe Descartes at the French Embassy, Sidecar downtown, and Bar 3100 at the British Embassy. Consider it a roadmap to your next bar crawl in D.C.

Simmons also tantalizes us with tales of an Ernest Hemingway-themed bar at the Cuban Embassy, to which she was unable to gain access, but the existence of which was confirmed by another Post reporter in 2015. Bonus points to the reader who makes it in and reports back to us!

Update:  Some Instagram sleuthing suggests that the Cuban Embassy’s Hemingway bar indeed exists!  Check it out:

The Ernest Hemingway bar inside Cuba’s embassy 🍹

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“Hemmingway’s”

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Someone tell us how its drinks are already!

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D.C. Cocktail Week 2017 Preview: November 1

D.C. Cocktail Week 2017 is coming up fast.  The event features specially priced cocktails and appetizers at participating D.C.-area restaurants (see individual restaurant pairings here).  This year the event runs from November 13 to 19.  But it’s already time to pre-party.

On Wednesday, November 1, Jack Rose Dining Saloon will host a sneak peek happy hour event from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.  Sample cocktails from Baba, Convivial, Dram & Grain, Indique, Jack Rose, and Sally’s Middle Name; and tastings from area/regional distillers including Belle Isle Craft Spirits, Cirrus Vodka, Capitoline Vermouth, Green Hat Gin, KO Distilling, MurLarkey Distilled Spirits, Republic Restoratives, Vitae Spirits Distillery, and Virginia Distillery Co.

Tickets are $35; purchase here.