Arts & Entertainment
Wall full of whiskey
Jack Rose Dining Saloon complements its bounteous liquor offerings with great food
Jack Rose (Blade photo by Michael Key)
A few weeks ago Taste of Pride had its monthly “featured special” event at Jack Rose Dining Saloon (2007 18th Street, N.W.). Since I’d never been there, I jumped at the opportunity to try it and with 10 percent of the sales from the evening going to Capital Pride, it was a great time to do so.
D.C. natives Bill Thomas, Stephen King and Michael Hartzer created Jack Rose Dining Saloon. The restaurant is made up of three distinctive spaces. The first floor contains an expansive marble-topped bar along the wall and an elegantly appointed dining room. The second floor has a private dining lounge and a casual open-air terrace that has a separate menu of items from a barbecue pit. We had reservations to eat in the first floor Dining Saloon.
Once seated, our waitress greeted us, presented us with the whiskey bible, then the drink and food menus. She asked if we had any questions. My friend and I gazed at each other, panic in our eyes, and asked if she could come back. The bible is the size of a wine list at an upscale restaurant. We were going to tackle it at some point during the night, but we decided to put it off for the moment. We quickly decided on mixed drinks. I chose the Jack Rose, which is Laird’s banded apple brandy, grenadine and lime. It was a refreshing and delicious way to start the meal. For an appetizer we chose the Braised Local Pork Belly with salted radish, herb puree and spiced broth. When it arrived, you could smell the herbs in the puree. As we ate it, we discovered that the pork melted in your mouth. There was just a touch of heat in the puree.
Once we had finished our appetizer we let our eyes wander around the full dining saloon. Pride volunteers and supporters filled the dining room with boisterous conversation and positive energy. Beyond the diners was a truly breathtaking room. We tried to imagine this space as a former boxing gym, but with three walls covered with the close to 1,400 selections from the whiskey bible, it seemed impossible. The bottles reached toward the ceiling and bartenders needed to use the equivalent of a library ladder to reach the top shelf. The room itself was outfitted with dark mahogany chairs, wooden tables and warm leather booths. As you admire the bottles, your eyes are drawn up to the beautiful pressed-tin ceiling. Overall, the dining saloon had a bright, warm and airy feel.
Our meals arrived and I dove right into my rack of lamb with jalapeno, rutabaga, okra and mint relish with a pomegranate and port reduction. My dining partner ripped into his pork chop special, wrapped in sausage and puff pastry. We exchanged a few bites of each other’s dishes and were pleased with what we tasted. The jalapeno and pomegranate combination that attracted me to the lamb complemented the juicy tender deep pink meat perfectly. The pork chop dinner was complex, but the flavors melded together quite well.
The time had arrived. As we finished our meals it was not only time for dessert but also to select one of the bottles from the surrounding walls. I had never had scotch before, which I sheepishly admitted this to the waitress. I was greeted with a broad smile and she readily suggested two options. We decided to try each of them; a 1-ounce pour was $6. The Balvenie Doublewood was light but full of flavor; the Auchentoshan triple wood was full bodied and the stronger flavor seemed more well rounded and purposeful. Both scotches stood alone as a great way to end the meal. However, we opted to pair them with dessert. The vanilla potted crème brulee was a cane sugar brulee with blackberry compote. The bread pudding was paired with Clementine sorbet. Both desserts were delicious.
Jack Rose Dining Saloon offers a variety of options for diners. You can opt for a drink, enjoy some snacks from the barbecue on the porch, or enjoy a full meal in the dining saloon. Jack Rose served up an excellent evening and provided us with a great new experience.
Catfish Comedy will host “2026 Queer Kickoff Show” on Thursday, Feb. 5 at A League of Her Own (2319 18th Street, N.W.). This show features D.C.’s funniest LGBTQ and femme comedians. The lineup features performers who regularly take the stage at top clubs like DC Improv and Comedy Loft, with comics who tour nationally.
Tickets are $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Arts & Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’
Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.
O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.
In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”
Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.
Friday, January 30
Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, January 31
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, February 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).
Tuesday, February 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, February 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
This queer comedy show will warm you up
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
AIDS Healthcare Foundation sues Fla. over ‘illegal’ HIV drug program cuts
Calendar: January 30-February 5
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