The view from behind the bar in the Tasting Room at the Columbia Room (Photo by Jeff Elkins)
Over the weekend, DC cocktail mogul Derek Brown held a soft launch party for his new flagship spirits destination, the Columbia Room (124 Blagden Alley NW, DC).
Starting tomorrow, Feb. 9, the Columbia Room is open to the public! But before you go, Derek kindly provided pictures of the space so that you can orient yourself to the stylish surroundings, sure to inspire many long, intellectual conversations stimulated by the bar’s sophisticated drinks.
The Columbia Room’s Tasting Room (Photo by Jeff Elkins)
The Tasting Room, pictured above, is the bar’s exclusive area, seating only 14 people. Inside the Tasting Room, patrons can enjoy three- and five-course tasting menus featuring specialty cocktails, punches, sodas, and light snacks curated by Derek and the team. The Tasting Room is aiming for a high end experience, as it features “cocktails crafted from ingredients such as house-made kelp water and walnut-infused port, matched with food such as uni buttered toast and venison carpaccio,” according to the establishment.
You require a ticket to experience the Tasting Room, and you can book your reservation to attend online at https://columbiaroom.tocktix.com/#/home.
The mosaic that serves as the centerpiece of the Tasting Room (Photo by Jeff Elkins)
The Tasting Room features 14 plush nailhead chairs along a curved burl wood bar, and guest receives a place setting with a heated frankincense-scented hand towel. The room also hosts a “large-scale custom Italian-tile mosaic that serves as both centerpiece and insignia,” according to the proprietors. The mosaic is pictured above.
Spirits Library of the Columbia Room (Photo by Jeff Elkins)
If you don’t have a ticket for The Tasting Room, you may well find yourself instead in the 22-seat Spirits Library, pictured above, where you can make yourself comfortable in a weathered tufted leather armchair. While there, you will be surrounded by glass cabinets and mirrored side tables. In the Spirits Library, you will enjoy access to a cocktail menu that features 20 specialty cocktails as well as rare spirits.
A third space, the outdoor Punch Garden, will not open until warmer weather arrives in the spring.
“We love our new space, and are obsessive about the drinks we create, but service is top of mind for myself and my team,” said Derek in a press release. “One of our mantras is that we’re not serving cocktails — we’re serving people. Columbia Room is about giving guests the opportunity to spend time together to talk and to laugh and to celebrate while enjoying our cocktails and food in a space that is both well-appointed and warm.”
For more information, visit the Columbia Room website at http://www.columbiaroomdc.com. Or be one of the first to enjoy the space when it opens to the public tomorrow!