Dupont’s Enjoyable New Trip Bar Options the Beer From ‘Soiled Dancing’

The house owners of Shaw Tavern, 801, and Prost DC broaden to Dupont Circle tonight with the debut of Vagabond, a dreamy new bar that faucets into the group’s shared love for browsing, sandy journey locations all over the world, and late actor Patrick Swayze.

Restaurateur Eric Heidenberger utterly remodeled the outdated Insurrection area right into a two-part enterprise that begins with a vivid bar and eating room coated in whitewashed decor, pops of turquoise, leafy palms, pebbled flooring, and tropical pictures (1836 18th Road NW). The wanderlust undertone carries over right into a globe-trotting menu showcasing cuisines from Portugal (tinned sardines and wood-fired prawns), Hawaii (ahi tuna ceviche), and Mexico (quesabirria), with a cocktail program large on mezcal, tequila, rum, and dehydrated fruits.

Down under, a shock speakeasy referred to as Swayze’s pays tribute to the group’s movie star man crush.

Erich Morse

“We’ve all had an admiration for Patrick most of our lives, beginning with Level Break and Highway Home,” says Heidenberger. The prolonged format lent effectively for a themed bar-within-a-bar. “It began as a joke and snowballed,” he says. Vagabond’s companions embody Frank Wilson, Alex Heidenberger, Dick Heidenberger, and Michael Tobin.

The identical model of Utica Membership Beer {that a} sweaty Swayze sipped whereas shimmying in cult ‘80s film Soiled Dancing is served downstairs by the can. A rep coincidentally got here into their German bar Prost with the New York brewery’s hard-to-find lager. “We had wished to get it and didn’t know who sourced it,” he says. (Together with its film cameo, Utica Membership’s declare to fame is it’s the primary beer offered the night time Prohibition ended.)

Again upstairs, a paloma-like “Cerritos Seashore” options clarified coconut milk, mezcal, grapefruit, lime, and grapefruit soda. An island-hopping beer checklist contains Puerto Rican lager Medalla Mild and Maui Brewing Co.’s hoppy IPA.

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

One in every of Heidenberger’s favourite trip spots is Lagos, a country cliff city in southern Portugal he’s visited along with his spouse. “Wherever you journey you join with the cultures by means of eating out and assembly the individuals,” he says.

Vagabond gives diners a style of Portugal by way of tinned sardines with lemon and herbs alongside grilled toasts and seafood butter and a fisherman’s stew brimming with clams, mussels, calamari, fish, and shrimp. “We try to supply from purveyors which can be in a position to get genuine provides from these locations,” he says.

A wood-fired grill prepares complete fish, octopus, and prawns, and double-patty sliders arrive on King’s Hawaiian rolls.

Erich Morse

Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

To start out, hours are 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15. Thursday joins the combo subsequent week, together with prolonged hours from 4 p.m. till 3 a.m. on weekends (Swayze’s opens at 10 p.m.). Day by day hours and weekend brunch (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) will come later.

Southern bourbon bar Insurrection closed in 2020 and Heidenberger purchased the entire constructing in 2021, which incorporates dive bar Larry’s subsequent door.

Builder Matthew Shannon-Browne was tasked with rehabbing the getting old area, which included refreshing and increasing downstairs bogs with tiger print wallpaper and smoky mirrors. A DJ sales space and playlist connects to the identical high-quality sound system utilized by Miami nightclub E11EVEN.

Leo Lee

Heidenberger additionally plans to make use of Swayze’s as a non-public occasions area and host themed nights round its well-known namesake. Recreating a scene out of Ghost with clay-spinning courses is only one concept.

“We’re wanting ahead to having some enjoyable down there,” he says.

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

Erich Morse

Bali graphic design agency Studio Sedano put collectively Vagabond’s branding and menus. Right here’s a primary look: