Last Call: Platinum Jaxx proves its mettle
Last Call
Published: April 5, 2006
Last Modified: May 25, 2006 at 02:58 AM
Pretty much every party pal in my circle had the same reaction when the downtown La Mex closed: Too bad, so sad -- but wouldn't it be awesome if they took that big building and turned it into a cool club?
Wishes do come true: From La Mex's metaphorical ashes comes Anchorage's newest nightspot, Platinum Jaxx Bar & Grill. It was many months in the works and had hipsters humming, but the guesswork ends here. Platinum Jaxx opens this week, and I was there last Friday for its invite-only "soft opening."
Arched open doorways and those textured adobe-esque walls hint at the bar's Mexican roots. But Toto, you aren't in La Mex anymore.
The Platinum Jaxx interior is ultra-urban, with steely-chic rooms that flow one into the next. Bright lights that swirl across the dance floors bear a stark contrast to decor's dominant silver, gray and blue tones. The vibe is decidedly bustling and busting, with low lighting and loud music pumping throughout the building.
The section formerly used for restaurant seating is unrecognizably renovated into open space filled with flat-screen plasma TVs, long tall tables and high-backed booths. A front-and-center dance floor is just a few paces from a long bar.
The space formerly used as La Mex's bar isn't as dramatically changed. But it's darker, moodier, clubbier -- and with two pool tables. Dead center on the ground level is the main dance floor, a slightly elevated space that was never empty on our visit last Friday.
The second-floor VIP lounge is compact, with a smaller bar and smooshy leather chairs. An open walkway runs the perimeter and offers bird's-eye views of the dance floor below.
Bartenders were capable and cheerful. Drink prices were average, and there were at least 50 beers on the menu. The bar has a loose dress code that basically asks people to put some effort into their wardrobe selection, and last Friday, people did. (And that means no hats allowed, boys. Deal with it.)
Afterward, friends peppered me with questions: Is Platinum Jaxx like a brewpub? A club? A restaurant? What? Well, it's all those things and more, a space unique to Anchorage. It's walking distance from many downtown bars -- Pioneer, Humpy's, you name it -- and could easily become the place to go bump and grind after a few rounds somewhere else.
It could also prove a great starting spot, since its menu includes everything from salads to burgers to rotisserie chicken and ribs. And here's a Platinum Jaxx selling point: It's nonsmoking. And I didn't hear anyone whining about that either.
Thank you for not smoking
Face it: Smoky bars are a big reason nonsmokers shun so many of the more popular Anchorage bars. The time's come for a place like Platinum Jaxx, where you can shoot pool, devour a steak or empty a pitcher without inhaling your best friend's addiction.
Some other nonsmoking nightspots worth mentioning:
Lighting up is a big no-no at high-class havens such as Sullivan's, Simon & Seaforts and Orso. In the Jewel Lake area, Club @ cleverly restricts smoking to a smaller side room.
The just-opened Club 3 -- a Saturday-only restaurant and bar at La Costa Loca on Fourth Avenue -- allows smoking only at the bar itself, near the door. And while the Snow Goose bar currently allows cigs only on its patio, the place goes entirely nonsmoking when the summer tourists start showing up.
• Go out much? Got a tip about your favorite bartender or a really good deal? Contact bar columnist Katie Pesznecker at kpesznecker@adn.com.
