Go Drink

Secret Service

Keep your business classified at Off the Record

The plush lower-level saloon at the distinguished Hay-Adams Hotel, Off the Record (16th and H Streets, NW, 202.638.6600; hayadams.com), certainly lives up to its name. I questioned, cajoled, prodded, and practically interrogated John Boswell, a veteran bartender with 35 years’ experience, for names and juicy stories about regulars, and he wouldn’t divulge a drop of gossip.

But mount a stool at the semicircular bar in the center of this mahogany and crimson velour–upholstered hideaway, and you’re immediately a Washington insider, insists a smiling Boswell. “This is a hubbub of ‘anything goes’ conversations and debates at the bar — even among total strangers. Yet it never gets rowdy. No duels here, but then I wouldn’t tell you if there were.” Where is that famous Washington “on deep background” caveat we hear so much about?

So gather your own evidence. Sporting a red vest over a white shirt, Boswell, a big guy with a Boston accent and salt-and-pepper hair, says the regulars start pouring in around 6 p.m. “We see more businesspeople than politicos these days — staffers from the World Bank, AFL-CIO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the White House, lots of lobbyists and lawyers, a sprinkle of hotel guests, and stars when they’re in town.” Despite the bar stools and table seating here, Washingtonians tend to be stand-up drinkers who caucus over cocktails in clusters of three or four. This is a suit-and-tie saloon, and most of the drinks poured are just as traditional and precisely ordered.

“We serve a lot of martinis — more vodka than gin today — but most people prefer no vermouth,” Boswell says. Here’s an insider’s secret: Order a brand-name spirit, such as Grey Goose, Ketel One, Belvedere, or Chopin vodka, or Hendricks or Bombay Sapphire gin, and the price is the same as a drink from the well, $15. There’s no surcharge for the top-shelf liquor.

Off the Record has a clubby, non-partisan vibe and is welcoming to everyone. Framed caricatures of politicians, drawn by local political cartoonists, are clustered discreetly throughout. The bar is especially female friendly, claims Boswell, who says women eat and drink at the bar and order the same libations as men. Bar fare is light, with such options as crab cakes, Reuben and chicken sandwiches, and a husky hamburger ($16–$30).

Boswell, who has either met or served every president since John Kennedy, takes care of his regulars and has their drink ready the moment they walk in the door. Suppose they want to try something new? “Believe me,” claims the mixologist, “they never, ever change.”

But Off the Record itself has evolved. When the Hay-Adams opened in 1927 — as the first Washington, D.C., hotel with air conditioning — the bar was called the English Tap Room. According to an advertisement of the day, it was an intimate retreat serving “beverages of quality and a light repast.” Unconfirmed reports claim it was a lively speakeasy during Prohibition, but locals I’ve quizzed say that’s more fantasy than fact. At least it wasn’t off the record.

The Wine Shop

This month, Continental Sommelier Martin Korson, beer and wine manager for Houston’s Central Market, recommends three great holiday wines.

Cantine Riondo Prosecco Veneto, Italy $14.95
This is the perfect bottle of bubbles to have on hand when unexpected holiday guests arrive. Dry, crisp flavors of lemon zest and ripe pears, along with a low alcohol level, will make this disappear.

Tapiz Malbec Mendoza, Argentina 2006 $18.95
I like to say that malbec combines the best aspects of merlot and cabernet sauvignon: bold and full flavored, with black fruits but without the green herbal notes that some cabernet sauvignons have in this price point. Another perfect party wine that pairs well with everything from roast ham to game.

Rubicon Estate Cask Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 $76.99
In honor of wine legend John Daniel Jr., Francis Ford Coppola has made this spectacular cabernet sauvignon. Intense, ripe black fruit flavors and hints of spice and vanilla from 24 months in American oak barrels make this a fantastic example of Napa Valley wine that still sells for under $100. — M.K.