Fasten your seatbelts, urban explorers, because Friday, October 26, marks the launch of a brand new speakeasy in town.
Tucked away inside the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel’s terrace restaurant and bar, the Whisper Room is a private, reservation only, whiskey lounge that promises to take post-protest-at-the-Capitol drinks to the next level. (That’s what everyone is doing in that part of town these days, right?) Inspired by the history of the hotel, which opened in 1924 at the height of Prohibition, the Whisper Room aims to create an intimate speakeasy experience for a maximum of 10 guests, who will enjoy a private room with its own terrace overlooking Congress Avenue. And it’s opening just in time for this week’s Austin Film Festival.
Tucked away behind a velvet curtain, the Whisper Room is designed with an eye to exclusivity and opulence, the kind of over-the-top decadence in design that evokes, for the romantically minded, the elegant parlors of the imported East Coast wives of old school Texan cattle ranchers. The design features a vintage crystal sconce, ornate glassware, and Limoges serving dishes. Think teatime at your fanciest grandmother’s house, only with whiskey.
And boy, is there whiskey. Aside from the expanded selection of whiskeys from Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ireland, Canada, and other whiskey-friendly regions around the world, there will be an exclusive curated menu of bespoke cocktails made to order tableside, in classic old-school-style, on an ornate 1930s Aldo Tura bar cart. Mixologist Justin Elliot partnered with the folks at the InterContinental’s hospitality team to develop an exclusive menu of contemporary takes on classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Sazerac, tailored to bar cart service.
To soak up all that whiskey, Executive Chef Brian Gibson has developed a menu of bar snacks and bite-sized canapes inspired by the hotel’s 1929 restaurant menu. Think roasted garlic charred olives, guajillo hominy crisps, shrimp and chorizo arancini, or deviled eggs and bacon-wrapped figs. It’s all of the opulent saltiness of classic 1920s cuisine updated with contemporary flare and a focus on fresh, local ingredients. Guests can also browse a selection of curated cigars from Bobalu Cigar Co.
“At the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel, we pride ourselves on providing exclusive and personalized experiences that offer respite for both business and leisure visitors alike,” says Steve Juscen, general manager of InterContinental. “We are thrilled to announce the opening of The Whisper Room and look forward to providing a one-of-a-kind experience to our guests that will take them back in time.” And in an era when many Austinites are spending a lot of time across the street at the Capitol building, a trip back in time sounds like a pretty relaxing concept.
This article appears in October 19 • 2018.