We hope that our waiter has since made the time to go to the Velvet Tango Room. It is well worth the two minute drive from Kosta's; it would be well worth a two hour drive.
We were warned that the Tango Room would look closed, which it did. But, we saw someone standing in the doorway, so we parked and walked up. A very pleasant gent with long grey hair neatly braided in a ponytail greeted us and invited us in. The step across the threshold is like one from a movie: outside the houses are grey and sad looking, but inside the place is shiny, rich, alive. Very striking contrast.
The bar itself is huge, and the staff is plentiful. While our primary bartender was Linda, I counted at least five other people there behind the bar. With never more than ten customers while we were there, we never lacked for service.
We hopped up to the bar (nice, high stools and a foot rail) and Linda recommended their house specialty, a French 75. While she prepared two for us in very artistic, classic fashion (glasses chilled with ice for a few minutes, perfectly shaken melding of liquors, and the lovely, drip-free pour), we noted the piano player in the back room (yes, an actual person at the piano), the black and white TV in the upper corner of the room (color would have ruined the mood), the black attire of all employees, the polish of all the wood, and the spotless, sprawling mirror behind the bar.
The drinks were excellent, and Linda was an exceptionally cool bartender. She was very pleased to hear that we were visiting from out of town, and she talked about herself in that interesting way that good bartenders do--they talk about themselves in order to get you to talk about yourself. She was a pro. As she tended other folks, the other bartenders also stopped by, and they were all unique and smooth. We were in that wonderful, comfortable, melting stage you aim for when you go to a bar to relax.
Midway through our drinks, the owner strolled by in his very crisp Armani (or something very like it) suit, and draped a red rose across Nancy's arm, which he proceeded to do for all of the women in the bar. Class. The feel of the place is old-style mafia, and Linda said they like to maintain a "select clientele". Every now and then, it's nice to feel like a member of the upper crust and the Velvet Tango Room will do that to you.
The Tango part of the name, by the way, did not go unattended. Midway through our visit, a couple strolled in and glided into the sultry dance. They were fun to watch, and they had fun being watched, it was obvious. This addition made the atmosphere even more old-time movie.
Adding to the rich feeling was the drinks menu (food is caviar only), which included a cognac (I think) that was $500.00 an ounce. You read that right. Needless to say, you have to pay for that drink up front. We did not partake!
Instead, Nancy had a gin Martini (perfect, as you might expect) and I had ice water (which I didn't even have to ask for--Linda served it up while noting that I was driving, not Nancy), we slid off of our stools, promised to stop in next time we were in town (this promise to ourselves as well as Linda), and stepped back out into the gloomy neighborhood.
Next, I will recount our final full day in Cleveland, which did not disappoint.