ARTSdiningentertainment
Wisdom
by Monica Cavanaugh, photos by Andrew Lightman
rik Holzherr keeps using the word “passion.” His eyes are bright and his smile wide as he plants himself behind the bar at Wisdom, Capitol Hill’s newest cocktail lounge. There’s something like a bounce in his speech when he discusses the mixing of spirits. “America is the birthplace of the cocktail,” he says, then launches into a history lesson about prohibition and bathtub gin. “But in the last few years, we’ve gotten away from what true cocktails are.” Neon green apple-tinis? Not happening here. Holzherr may be laid back, but he’s serious about his mixology, and boasts that many of his blends can’t be found anywhere else in the city. You’ll also have a heck of a time finding anything like his comprehensive “Wisdom Guide to Libations,” a fascinating graph he put together to help patrons decide which drinks they may like best. Printed inside the front cover of the menu, the inverted pyramid has four subsets (subtlety and finish among them), each with a sliding scale from one extreme to the other, and shapes and numbers to correspond. Each cocktail comes with a combination of these shapes and numbers as a way of explaining what you’ll expect. It sounds trickier than it is, but customers have taken quite a shine to it. Tara Bunch stopped in with her husband, Steve, after reading about the bar online. “The drink menu is nifty,” she said, noting the variety of drinks and then coming to the Guide. “We picked using that and the really colorful descriptions, and were really happy with the drinks.” Tara settled exclusively on the Wealthy Missionary (a ginger peach martini,) while Steve started off with the Pears of Wisdom (a sumptuous mix of pear and elderflower) before moving on to the bottled beers. It’s easy to get carried away with the cocktails here, but it pays to take a gander at the full menu. There along with the wines, whiskeys and bourbon sits an unusual sight – absinthe. But it’s illegal, right? Or at least the “real” stuff is. Not so, explained Holzherr, jumping back in time once again to tell tales of French wine makers, spirited artists, and a guerrilla smear campaign against a liquor hardly worse than any other. The whole of the story would be too long to print here, but it is certainly worth a Google search – orbetter yet, a question posed to Holzherr himself. A New York native, Holzherr spent six years working to bring his love of fine drinks and lounge style to DC. Over the years he moved west and
116 ★ HillRag | December 2008
business brief
E
Make Your Holiday Party Reservations Now!
Restaurant Lounge
CAFECuisine BERLIN Fine German
Wild Game Menu
2 for 1 Entrees
(Valid up to $14.00 with this ad, one Coupon per Table, Expiration 12/30/08)
Napa Valley in DC! Wine country meets the eclectic DC art scene at NAPA 1015
New Menu New Art Exhibit Sunday Brunch Thursday Mexican Night Happy Hour Until 8 p.m. Wednesday Wine Tasting
Open!
Christmas Eve from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm Christmas Day from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm New Year's Eve from 4:00 pm to Midnight New Year's Day from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
322-B Massachusetts Ave., NE • Washington, DC 20002
202-543-7656
202-396-NAPA
1015 H St. NE Washington, DC 20002
NAPA 1015
NEW YEAR’S 2008 • MENU
1St: Pan Seared Scallops with Herb Saffron Cream on Puff Pastry • Artichoke, Spinach and Red Pepper Terrine with Avocado Coulis • Hudson Valley Foie Gras sautéed with Black Walnut Bread & Sour Cherries • Caramelized Onions and Wild Mushroom Tart with Mont Cabrer Goat Cheese 2nd: Butternut Soup with Gorgonzola Croutons • Lobster Shrimp Bisque • Arugula Salad with a Meyers Lemon Vinaigrette and Shaved Parmesan 3rd: Grilled Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Mustard Sauce, Dauphine Potatoes and Vegetable Du Jour • Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Blood Orange Chipotle Cream Sauce, Forbidden Black Rice and Vegetable Du jour • Roasted Chayote , Peppers, Onions and Eggplant with Roasted Pepper Coulis Pearl Barley Risotto 4th: Dark Chocolate Pate with fresh Raspberries • Cheese Board, Fig & Orange Spread, Toasted Almonds, Quince & Red Onion Relish, Abbaye Bellocq Sheep, Mont Cabrer Goat, Stella Gorgonzola • Mixed Berries with Crème Anglaise • Almond Crusted Lemon Tart
$60.00 per person
www.alsgourmetpizza.com
Going to the theatre? NAPA offers a 3-course meal special
www.napa1015.com
capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 117
Wisdom
Cocktail Parlour
Has Arrived
1432 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington D.C. 20003
202.543.2323
info@dcwisdom.com Tues - Thurs: 6 pm - 2 am Fri - Sat: 7pm - 3am Sun: 7pm - 2am Now Serving: Colombian tapas & apps
Happy Hour: Tues-Thurs, Sun 6pm-8pm $5 Imported Drafts $7 “Cocktail of the Day”
DC is ready for the NEXT step: Wisdom www.dcwisdom.com
Specializing in house-made cocktails masterfully crafted with Premium Spirits & fresh juices “Now offering FULL Absinthe bar”
A CAPITOL HILL LANDMARK SINCE 1967 329 Pennsylvania Ave., SE • 202.543.3300 www.HawkAndDoveOnline.com
Inquire online or Run Down to the Hawk to Schedule Your Holiday Party Dates Are Going Fast...
THE PLACE TO BE FOR COLLEGE BALL More Coverage: The Hawk has ESPN U OPEN CHRISTMAS EVE: Call for Special Menu GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE
• • • • • • • A diverse product line of quality beverages from all over the world One of the largest and most unique wine selections on Capitol Hill A friendly and knowledgeable staff Located just minutes form Downtown, DC and Alexandria, VA 1 block south of Eastern Market Metro on the vibrant Barracks Row Owned by the Williams Family since 1978; established before 1919
The best weekly wine tastings on “The Hill”- Sat (3-6pm)
Congratulations of Hawk Customer President-elect Barack Obama!
118 ★ HillRag | December 2008
east and west and east, picking up bar experience and funky furniture along the way. A year ago he bought the building at 1432 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. He and his dad spent the winter gutting the place – without heat. “It’s a great way to lose 45 pounds,” he laughed. Once things were sufficiently wrecked, he began decorating – incorporating the gritty, exposed brick and plaster into his master plan. What has come of all that hard work is a sweetly unique spot – very bohemian, very cozy. Small enclaves along one wall allow for guests to sit privately, while couches and ottomans await those in a more social mood. Two bars – one in front and another in back – keep those with a thing for barstools happy. Draped fabric, low light and gently pulsing lounge music (think Buddha Bar) complete the vibe that many customers say they’re happy to return to. Wisdom is a baby on the Hill – barely a month old – but it has already developed a following. “We’ve got a lot of regulars,” says Holzherr. “They’ve been really good about word of mouth, bringing people in with them.” With an entertainment endorsement in the works, the hope is that live music and DJ opportunities will follow along shortly. “I’ve got a couple of Marines in the band over there who have asked to set up to play jazz,” said Holzherr. That alone would certainly have the Hill abuzz, but Holzherr is looking a step ahead. If traffic really picks up, the hope is that Wisdom will lead a double life: tea house by day, lounge by night. “We have something for everybody,” Holzherr said, a bit of that passion poking through. “We just want everyone to have fun.” Wisdom offers all manner of spirits, as well as a menu of Colombian-inspired tapas. It is located at 1432 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. For hours, contact information and menus, go to www.dcwisdom.com. ★