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From the name alone, you might expect that Punch Club is a shabby knockoff of the 1999 movie, Fight Club. Further strengthening this likeness is the fact that Punch Club is held only once a week, on Thursdays. And although both Fight Club and Punch Club both have the potential to knock you out, the former does with uppercuts and jabs what the latter does with expertly crafted cocktails and, well, punch.
Punch is a drink that we rarely see these days. If asked, most people would either reference the Hawaiian version or the occasional non-alcoholic bowl of punch with a tub of sherbet floating in it at a holiday party. Historically, though, punch has played a prominent role in English and American alcoholic beverage consumption: a bowl of punch would be put out, and everyone would stand around drinking until there was no more punch or nobody left standing. It was a very social, convivial thing, but one can see why modern society eventually phased that practice out.
All is not lost, however: in the last few years, pioneering bartenders have realized that a communal punch bowl can be an excellent offering at a bar, and cocktail joints from San Francisco to New York have started offering a daily special bowl of punch. The Gibson, another new cocktail bar in D.C., got a mention in The New York Times for offering punch at special events.
Not to be left out, the folks that are working on opening Room 11 in Columbia Heights have decided to make use of the idle space at the Warehouse Cafe to host a weekly night of punch and cocktails. Although the Warehouse partly closed in late 2007 and significantly reduced the number of events held there, the sale of the building fell through last year. While the space is in flux, co-owner Paul Ruppert decided to let his Room 11 partner Dan Searing (of Looking Glass Lounge) try out some of his favorite punch and cocktail recipes.
The Punch Club menu is sparing: three punches ($5), three classic cocktails ($6-8), three beers ($5), and three wines ($6). In addition to the drinks, the panini press behind the bar is pumping out some tasty sandwiches ($8) made with homemade mozzarella and accompanied by a side. The first week, the sandwiches were accompanied by a salad and popcorn, and the second week with soup.
Wait, did everybody read those last three sentences? $5 punch? It would be one thing if these were overly-sweet and made with cheap rotgut vodka, but they are generally well-balanced and made with quality ingredients. The Rocky Mountain punch (champagne, rum, maraschino, lemon) was a revelation and the hot Glogg was a fantastic way to warm up on a cold winter night. The "Corpse Reviver No. 2" cocktail was one of the better renditions I've had of this drink, and a steal at $8: the pastis was balanced against the gin, with the aromatic ingredients providing additional flavor and levity.
On week two, the grilled cheese came with a piping hot bowl of kale and white bean soup, for $8. It may not come as a surprise that this sort of event would spring up when the economy is on the fritz, but it's nice to see it happening while maintaining an emphasis on quality. But when Room 11 opens in the Spring, the future of Punch Club is uncertain. If demand is sufficient at the current location, it may stay there, but it also may end up merged into a "Punch Night" at Room 11 or elsewhere (I'm voting for "Project Mayhem" as the name). Since Room 11 is tentatively slated for a March opening date, you may only have another six or seven weeks left to enjoy these great deals on classic beverages. This "First Look" may also be DCist's last.
Punch Club @ Warehouse
1017 7th St NW
(202) 783-3933
Every Thursday, 6 p.m.-12 a.m.
Room 11 (the web site, like the bar, is still under construction)
3234 11th St. NW
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So, is this something hipsters are flocking to, or are they avoidingit because it's soooooo 2008?
that's a good question, henry. maybe dcist needs to put up a hipster poll here, get the feel from a tight-jeaned man on the street.
Nice try, except we all know hipsters don't answer polls. They just stand their with their hands in their pockets muttering snarky $h!t while they're waiting for their $5 Yuenglings.
There's an old rhyme for remembering the ingredients for Rum Punch:
One (cup) of sour (lime juice)
Two of sweet (sugar)
Three of strong (rum)
Four of weak (water)
And of course, the ingredients for a classic Junkpunch involve giving me Everclear and talking $h!t about how f**king great Australia is.
You are going to go nuts this weekend, not able to get that damn Aussie woman off your mind.
I'm just surprised they aren't serving more classic punches, like the "Rooster Cockpunch," which involves getting whomped in the nutsack with a sock full of boullion cubes while watching old John Wayne movies.
One of my Favorites.
And, the classic "Punch-Drunk Glove" (Latex).
You can't go wrong with the "Lock, Cock and Two Smoking Punch Bowls."
I'm going to start listing products of Australian culture and identity. Let me know when I get to something that isn't awful:
Vegemite. Ricky Ponting. Wheetabix. Nicole Kidman. The Moulin Rouge director. The direction in Moulin Rouge. John Howard. The direction in the Moulin Rouge director's other films. Paul Hogan. Paul Hogan drunk. Fosters. Cane toads. Their treatment of Indigenous Australians. Warney. ..
--
Men At Work does balance the ledger. A bit.
Don't forget Yahoo Serious. Next best thing to sticking your dick in a wood chipper.
That guy reminds me of David Cross.
Shut up, you f**king baby!
My (former) southern in laws would have large, ornate bowls of things with WASPy names like "Fishhouse Punch" , and "St. Cecelia's Punch". Both of which were extremely potent and I heard stories of how in less responsible days (the 70s) guests would be stacked up like cordwood in bedrooms sleeping it off. It was tasty stuff, very much something that would sneak up on the uninitiated. I only consumed it to a DUI level.
Can't wait to see people with goatees and severe eyewear lying on the sidewalk outside places that serve this stuff.
in less responsible days (the 70s) guests would be stacked up like cordwood in bedrooms sleeping it off.
Sounds like your punch parties rapidly devolved into key parties, another '70s relic that badly needs to make a comeback. Much more fun than avocado wallpaper and watergate salad. Stinkier, too.
Watergate salad. Man, the first time i had that stuff was like five years ago and I was so disappointed that it wasn't the lettuce salad, but secretly thrilled about the Cool Whip factor.
I need to make a batch tonight.
LOL, I found out that my 'hood did have key parties in those days! I knew it was a swingin' place (still is, too, but on a less physical level of contact) so this was not entirely a surprise. Thanks for the definition, most people my age say "huh?, what's that?" when I say "key party".
I guess this weekend is as good as any to dust off my old copy of "The Ice Storm."
Grape Kool-aid. Oh Yeah!
Are any of these places serving hot punches like wassail? I can see that going over very well this time of year.
Very few people know the secret to Punch Club. Into every bowl is added a half bag of stolen liposuction fat. Cheers!
That explains my unexpected weight loss. That darn vacuum
saleslady gets me every time. She knocks on the door.I open the door and let her in. She asks me if I want a demostration. We get undressed. She hooks the hose up to m'belly and Whoa Nelly...it's a gusher. Next thing you know, some sucker is drinking my fat out of some high falootin' punch bowl.
Seriously? Rocky Mountain Punch?
And not a single joke about Nick Cho?
I'm disappointed in us.
Don't get punchy, but .... didn't John Denver die in a plane crash?
I heard the DJ on Thursdays is awesome.