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Review content:
Bar Review Masa 14 offers a grown-up vibe By Fritz Hahn Friday, October 30, 2009 The buzz : Masa 14, the latest addition to the bustling 14th Street bar scene, has been creating quite a buzz since opening Oct. 12. Part of that is because chef-owners Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Richard Sandoval of Zengo collaborated on the Asian-Latin fusion menu. The gorgeous space is another reason. The modern main room, decorated with blond wood and steel, is a 5,000 square feet and holds 240 with plenty of room to spare. The 65-foot bar -- which they claim is the longest in the District -- dominates one wall and is lined with dozens of stools. On the weekend, when neighbors Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar are almost uncomfortably crowded, even a full Masa 14 is comparatively calm. Throw in DJs, a Latin-flavored cocktail list and a kitchen that stays open until an hour before last call, it's no wonder there are hour-plus waits for tables. The scene : "I'm a very discriminating bargoer," says Ana Molina, the chief financial officer for a video game trade association. "Sometimes you walk into a place and you know it's going to fail. And you walk in here and you get this vibe and you know it's going to work." Although Molina thinks the wine list is "nothing to write home about," she says the bar scene is lively and comfortable. "It's not trying to be more than it is. You don't feel put off when you come in." But, more important, Molina says, scanning the line of smartly dressed couples at the bar, "I like it because the crowd's not on the younger side. It's a little older." She may be on to something. Last Thursday night, most of the patrons at the bar I spoke with were in their 30s and 40s. It could be that Masa 14 feels more "grown-up" -- like Cork or the Gibson -- than some other spots in the neighborhood. Of course, I've visited Masa 14 with friends for after-midnight snacks on weekends, when DJ Dimitris George (of the HipsterOverkill parties) is spinning up-tempo electronic music, and the crowd feels a bit younger, but the atmosphere remains similar. "You can definitely feel the energy in here," says Dave Mazzulla, a 43-year-old IT consultant from Virginia. His friend Noelle Coleman, a 39-year-old government editor, agrees. "What I like about it is that it's so expansive, but it feels cozy at the same time." She is sipping the house drink of the night, a vodka-and-lemonade concoction with strawberry puree and agave. At the far end of the bar, local developer Chris Donatelli is having drinks with colleagues. "I can't believe how popular it is. It's awesome," he says. Donatelli points to the mix of people hanging out at the bar -- people who live around the corner and a group of women from Bethesda. He likes the food, he says, but "it seems like the social part is what's driving" the buzz. In your glass : Like the food, Masa's cocktails reach to the Caribbean and Latin America for inspiration. There are multiple variations on margaritas with fresh agave, though I was most taken with the light, sparkling Patron Paloma, which mixes Patron tequila with lime juice and grapefruit soda. The Caipirinha Pia adds a twist to the classic Brazilian cocktail, muddling pineapples along with limes in the glass. The bartenders also will make off-the-menu drinks, including virgin mojitos. There are almost 100 tequilas in the house, with sampling flights of three starting at $13. The wine program is interesting, too. Outside of the 16 by-the-glass selections, bar manager Ivan Iricanin has put together a list of 65 bottles that sell for $45 or less. On your plate : Small plates may be a tired trend in the restaurant business, but they're perfect bar snacks. Choose from a short selection of sushi rolls, pork belly tacos or tasty flatbread pizzas prepared in a domed oven near the sushi bar. Price points : Most cocktails cost $9 to $12, while glasses of wine are $7 to $9. Draft beers are a flat $7. Small plates are $4 to $14, with most between $6 and $11. Need to know : Masa 14's kitchen usually stays open until 2 a.m. on weekends and 1 a.m. on weeknights, welcome news in a neighborhood where most options include half-smokes and jumbo slices. Just be warned that the kitchen might close earlier if business is slow that night. Nice to know : DJs spin from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
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