Bar Review When the Weather Outside Is Frightful . . . By Fritz Hahn Washington Post Weekend Section Friday, December 23, 2005 When warm weather rolls around, I prefer to sit on a patio with a refreshing wheat beer. Falling temperatures mean searching out warming cocktails and crackling fireplaces. Problem is, I'm never the only one with that idea: Chilly nights find crowds packed in the fireplace lounge at the Tabard Inn or huddled near the wood-burning stove in the backroom at Nanny O'Brien's. When I first visited the upstairs lounge at Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar earlier this year, my eye skipped over the airy room's huge windows, exposed brick and gleaming hardwood floors, heading straight for the restored fireplace. One of the servers confirmed that it worked, so I chalked the lounge up as a place to remember for the winter. Returning after one of our recent ice storms, I was looking forward to warming up while sipping a nice, big red wine. Surprisingly, the only flames came from three white candles sitting on the mantle. "We're going to be using [the fireplace], but it needs to be cleaned," owner Jared Rager says. "We lit it up a few times, but once we started using it, someone asked when it had last been cleaned. It's something of a temporary delay, and it should be in full swing soon." Rager adds that they're looking at converting the fireplace from wood to gas to use it more. I came for the fire, but that's just one reason Sonoma's lounge has become a favorite place to meet for drinks on Capitol Hill. Downstairs, the dining room's long bar is often slammed with a combination of groups waiting for tables and oenophiles who've come to sample the three dozen wines available by the glass. Sipping a $12 glass of some wonderful pinot just isn't as enjoyable when you're standing elbow to elbow jockeying for a seat, but you do get to eavesdrop on some fascinating conversations. ("I had a meeting with the British ambassador this morning, and he asked . . . ") Upstairs, though, it's more relaxed and intimate. As with Sonoma's always-hopping bistro, the lounge has a stylish, uncluttered look: Two huge mirrors lean against slate-gray walls. Lighting is soft. Seating options include boxy modern sofas, boxier armchairs and low leather stools surrounding jet-black coffee tables, all neatly arranged for small groups of friends. Near the fireplace, I'm drawn to soft benches that resemble mattress pads on stumpy metal legs. (Yes, they're just as soft.) Chairs near those aforementioned windows, which overlook Pennsylvania Avenue, are as coveted as tickets to the State of the Union address. There are some tradeoffs. Instead of the three dozen wines by the glass available downstairs, you get a choice of four reds (including an oaky '99 Syrah from Sonoma's Bon Family Vineyards), four whites (Rager suggests Margaret's Blend, a blend of Tocai Friulano and Arneis from JB Cellars) and one sparkling (a nice little Italian Prosecco). Those looking for a snack will find they can't order from the full menu; selections are limited to charcuterie platters and cheese plates. It would be too hard to offer 30 more wines by the glass upstairs, Rager says, so "these tend to be the middle and higher end . . . something that will appeal to everyone." The upstairs lounge will also be getting its own reserve wine list, which may move away from the current Italy- and California-centric selection of bottles. Sonoma, like its sister restaurant Mendocino, also offers one of the better wine deals in town: half-price bottles from the oft-pricey reserve list every Sunday night. To date, my biggest frustration has been not with service but with the lounge's popularity. On three occasions in recent weeks, I've stopped by to find the second floor closed for private events or holiday parties. "It's not something we're happy about," Rager says. "We were overwhelmed with demand."
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