Mr Rain's Fun House is throwing a Repeal Day Dinner on Sunday night.
The event, which celebrates the repeal of Prohibition on Dec. 5, 1933, includes a $65 five-course seated dinner by Chef Bill Buszinski, live jazz music and dancing. Sunday night, of course, is only Dec. 4, so guests are encouraged to stay until midnight for a Champagne toast.
The idea for the Repeal Party came from Perez Klebahn, Mr. Rain's beverage director, who had celebrated the Dec. 5 anniversary with his friends for years. For the party at Mr. Rain's, he looked for a group of five Prohibition-era cocktails that would work as pairings for over a five-course dinner. Buszinksi then, created a menu inspired by Klebahn's cocktail line-up.
For the first course, Klebahn wanted a French 75, a classic potion of sparkling wine, gin and lemon juice. That flavor profile inspired Buszinksi's first-course menu item, Oysters Rockefeller with Gruyere and anise butter. Klebahn's fourth-course Sazerac, made with rye and bitters, led to Buszinksi's fourth-course of root-beer cured short ribs.
Then, once Klebahn got Buszinski's menu, he designed modern interpretations of the five classic cocktails. The modern French 75 now has an Asian twist, made with sparking sake, soju, yuzu juice and black sugar syrup. Klebahn's modern Sazerac, picking up on Buszinski's short ribs, now includes vanilla syrup and absinthe foam.
Klebahn said he wasn't always literal-minded with the cocktail menu. The third course is paired with a Negroni, not because it was especially popular during the 1920s, but because it pairs really well with food. Both the traditional and modern versions of the cocktails will be served at the dinner, which begins at 7 p.m., preceded by passed hors d'ouevres.
At 9 p.m., after the dinner, Mr. Rain's will make an a la carte menu available to guests who want to join the party.
Find more weekend dining events here.