Erik Moe: Critic at Large

Columbia Room = Highly recommended

The newly-opened Columbia Room at The Passenger is an intimate speakeasy-style oasis custom built for a single purpose: impeccable presentation of cocktails. The space seats perhaps 14 in a two-tiered arrangement that puts all the focus on craft cocktail expert Derek Brown behind the bar. The Service by Brown and improbably-named fantastically-named sommelier Kat Bangs is personal and extraordinarily attentive.

Bangs and Brown both have worked at and helped develop some of DC’s best restaurants and in this intimate space their talents shine. Brown’s artistry and attention to detail are on display as he hand-carves ice to melt appropriately in each drink and methodically measures ingredients and tests temperatures.

A reservation at Columbia includes an opening glass of champagne, two cocktails and a light food pairing. I’ll leave deconstructing and geeking out over the particulars to experts like my coworker Matt, but the general outline of the evening is re-assembled after the jump. Highly recommended.

Cocktails: The Columbia Room at The Passenger, March 6

Champagne (A pleasantly crisp variety with hints of pear)

Cocktail 1 we were told was based on a Norse legend:
Calvados (apple brandy), sloe gin, buffalo grass vodka, peychaud bitters
…paired with: Apple and cheddar on bread with pickled fiddleheads

Cocktail 2 was selected by Derek based on our input of likes/dislikes:
Plymouth gin martini with citrus
…served with: (seriously decadent) garlic buttered popcorn

Cocktail 3 was not included in the reservation, but we elected to have another since the experience was too pleasant to bring to a close:
Scotch, orange bitters, chocolate bitters and orange peel between two architecturally stacked blocks of ice

Tags: cocktails, derek brown, drinks, kat bangs, the columbia room, the passenger