Velvet Tango Room: What all bars should strive to be

I've had the pleasure of going out to the Velvet Tango Room three times now - twice in the private back room - and every time has been magical.

This bar prides itself on serving the best cocktails, paying tribute to the concoctions that made drinking popular decades ago. After an incredible dinner to celebrate my parents' 50th birthdays this week, we continued the night with drinks in the back room.

The main bar of the Velvet Tango Room is already luxurious, with old-fashioned velvet furniture, low lighting and an overall jazzy atmosphere, but the real experience is waiting behind the mirrored door. To get into this secret back room, you just need to make a reservation and find out that week's password. It's well worth planning in advance to enjoy the back room.

Once you're taken through the back door, you'll step into what looks like someone's warm yet fancy living room, with a private bar and beautiful fireplace. The variety of seating options includes couches, high-top tables and more intimate tables for two tucked into corners of the room. Beginning at 10 pm, the pianist comes in to provide soft jazz sounds.

The drink menu is an educational experience, giving you a glimpse of what the art of true cocktails is all about. Luckily, our group has a wide range of tastes, so we got to sample a little of everything from the menu.

Negroni (left) - a bitter, strong cocktail with orange flavors that come from Compari, accompanied with a house red wine reduction
Bourbon daisy (right) - a slightly-sweet combination of bourbon and ginger beer, complete with a piece of candied ginger

Old-fashioned (left) - a classic whiskey drink enhanced with bitters and a sugar cube
Ramos Gin Fizz (right) - an orange/vanilla blend fluffed with a frothy egg white mixture

Other drinks included Knob Creek on the rocks, a French 75 (gin, champagne and lemon juice), an Apricot Sour and the classic White Russian.

The Velvet Tango Room is perfect for celebrating a special occasion or for a very important (and romantic) date, and that's why we'll continue to go there.
http://www.velvettangoroom.com/