I came here for the drinks.

New York City's Nectar.

[adrinkorfew]

67 Orange

2082 Frederick Douglas Blvd @ 112 St.

After almost 6 months of "meaning to go there"s, the day finally arrived. It was a perfect Sunday evening cocktail to end/start the week with a friend who also lives close by. It looked like the standard cocktail bar one may find downtown, cool, intimate decor, heavy draping, bartender in suspenders and a charming smile. this seems to be a uniform among these specialty cocktail places, which is perfectly fine by me as long as the "charming" and the "bartender" part stays in the picture.

The cocktail menu was expansive but not too complicated, broken down easily by liquor of choice. My eyes, of course, go directly to the gin selection.

Drink of choice:

Hayman's Tea

Old Tom's gin, earl grey tea, honey syrup, elderflower, lemon juice

My only gripe is that, considering the area, it's a bit pricey. It definitely caters to those who seek, rather than those in proximity. Luckily I'm both so I'm definitely going back very soon.

Drinks: 3.5

Food: 2.5

Locale: 2.5

p.s. be not deterred by the limited upstairs seating, there's apparently more seating downstairs.

[adrinkorfew]

The Toucan and the Lion

342 East 6th St. (between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)

"Gastropubs" are apparently the new "thing" these days and since this blog is in itself a definition of "pop culture" then I feel this deserves its place. I like to use quotations.

I popped into this place unexpectedly one night as a homie and I went to meet another homie whose homies bailed on him. With our original plan of Village Yokocho foregone, I felt this place BETTER be good. And indeed, good it was.

We sat in the bar area and ordered small plates to share and some cocktails to appease our thirsty Thursday needs, and it was all quite delish. Drink of choice was:

Crimson and Clover

Tequila, lime juice, fresh muddled raspberries, green peppercorn. simple syrup

Drinks: 4

Food: 3.5

Locale: 3.5

[adrinkorfew]

Clandestino

Clandestino

35 Canal Street, between Ludlow and Essex

The first time I came here, it was a quiet weekday night with hardly any customers except for the few loyal and local. The music was good and chill, and the overall vibe was just as the name suggests, secret yet unassuming and with none of that pretense that so many "speakeasy" type places in the city embody. I've only been there twice and the bartender already recognizes me. In the simplest of vanities and comforts, for that reason alone I'll be sure to be back again.

Note: In addition to my drink of choice when I come here (see below), try their Easy Blonde on tap. It's the bartender dude's own brew and we've gotta support the locals, right? right.

Eastside

gin, lime juice, simple syrup, cucumber, mint

[adrinkorfew]

White Star

21 Essex St. at Hester

To say that the drinks were intense would be an understatement. The cocktails are KILLER. My homie and I literally felt death flowing down our throats but it was oh such delicious death. And what was oddly perfect is that feeling that whatever drink you choose, it is so completely your own.

I want to say you can't go wrong here but that would be completely and utterly false. The moment you go wrong is the moment you attempt to get a second drink. You'll be out on the sidewalk before you know it.

When the bartender asks, "do you want to fall asleep now or in 30 mins?" he's not kidding.

The Monkey Gland

gin, orange juice, grenadine, absinthe

 Rating (of 5):

Drinks: 4

Food: n/a

Locale: 3

[adrinkorfew]

Mary Queen of Scots

What seems like ages ago, I went to meet up some friends for a drink(s). When they told me where to go, 115 Allen (at Delancey), I immediately thought OH GREAT: Chinatown. Now, forgive my bias but at the time I worked and therefore breathed Chinatown (egk) so naturally I was a little prejudiced against what I imagined would be some nasty bar filled either with angry Asian men and bad odor, OR the belligerent bros of wall street or the DA (aka overflow of Whiskey Tavern). I was not exactly 100% on this.

  Fast forward 10 minutes of silently judging/grumbling/walking through the questionable smells of chinatown, and I was pleasantly mistaken. As I walked in to this proverbial "gem" I, quite simply, fell in love with the place. From the plaid upholstery, wooden benches, and classic glasses and goblets, to the somewhat morbid art work on the walls, it all just made sense. There's really something special about going somewhere and truly feeling "transported", especially when the place you're being transported from is that weird gutter space between Chinatown and the lower east side.

  Anyway, I've been there a few times now, tried almost every drink on the menu (at least for that season), and honestly, you really can't go wrong. My personal fave however would be:

Respect Your Elders, 12 Plymouth Gin, Rosemary Syrup, Lemon Juice, Angostura and Lavender Bitters

  Rating (of 5):

Drinks: 4.5

Food: 4

Locale: 2

[adrinkorfew]

A Drink at Jo's

(264 Elizabeth between Houston and Prince)

I first heard of this place from my brief blog-fling with nerve.com a few months ago. My love for gin naturally brought it to number one on my list of well, all lists ( i have a few), and rightfully so. Since then, I've tried a few/most of the main cocktail listing and the Narcissist has steadily and surely become my "go-to". Just the right amount of everything, in my opinion, and that is of course saying a lot when it comes to making a good cocktail. So fresh, so clean.

Also, don't let the slightly inattentive main bartender get to you, that dude at the other end of the bar knows what he's doing just as well.

Narcissist = Gin, lime, ginger beer, crème de violette, shiso leaf

Rating (of 5):

Drinks: 4

Food: 2.5