Back (Forty) to Visit Alphabet City

Mid-Summer Intern Celebration!  

 

I have heard good things about Back Forty (http://backfortynyc.com/) and was pleased to see we were having our dinner there! I have been meaning to spend more time in Alphabet City, so this is great way to do that! In order to celebrate our brands, I ordered the Back Forty. It is made with George Dickel #12, maple and lemon. I absolutely loved it! I'm trying to get more into whisky and this was a non-intimidating introduction.

 

After I enjoyed my cocktail for a bit, the food (and there was plenty!) started to come out. I didn't snap pictures, but the cornbread and fried chicken were delicious!! Really brought me back to Charlotte and Price's Chicken Coop. Below is a shot of the pork shoulder, slaw and bread (some sort of pita). Really good. We just ate obscene amounts of food, typical.

Also, there were DOUGHNUTS! So good! Check out this spot!

 

After, we went to Pouring Ribbons which is right down the street. A super exclusive, swanky cocktail spot. I wouldn't rank it as high as some of the other "list-only" places I've gone (Raines Law Room is much better), but I do like the atmosphere. If you're going to pay $15+ for a cocktail, I like to have service and a seat! It is worth a visit.

 

Cheers,

Liz

Hey Beauty (& Essex)!

Tequila & Tapas!

I wanted to take Amber to a "Big Night Out" dinner so we went to Beauty & Essex (http://beautyandessex.com/). Before we had some yummy tapas, we ordered a drink at the bar. I ordered the O.D.B. "Old Dirty Bramble" - it was made with Don Julio Reposado tequila, smoked blackberries, honey, ginger juice, and lemon. I tend not to be the biggest fan of tequila because so many are not good, but Don Julio? Delicioso! 

Cheers!
Liz

Call the Nurse!

This Prescription is Quite a Pickle!

Before we had dinner at Beauty & Essex, I wanted to try out a new cocktail spot. I read favorable reviews about Nurse Bettie (http://nursebettie.com/). The bar has a reputation for Burlesque and the bartender was a real character! People in NYC go crazy for Pickleback shots, but I refuse to get in on that action. My interest was piqued however when I saw the Pickle Martini - this sounds more like me!

The drink includes gin, Pickle Guy's pickle juice, dry vermouth and fresh black pepper. I was shocked at how much I loved the drink! I always wanted to be cool and like dirty martinis, but whenever I order them I don't like them. This, however, was SO DELICIOUS! It was more a hint of pickles than overwhelming. Really balanced, a bit salty, but I love salty. Make sure to order a nice tall glass of water with it! Yum! New favorite!

Bottoms up,

Liz

Cocktails (Not Cannolis) in Little Italy

The Mulberry Project: A Hidden Gem

My friend and I planned to meet my brother at Goldbar in Little Italy but there was a bit of a SNAFU so we had to resort to Plan B in an area that I'm not too familiar with...but I am familiar with Yelp! so I consulted that. 

What is there to do here besides eat pizza, pasta and pastry???

The consensus of many online reviews led me to Mulberry Project (http://projectgroupnyc.com/mulberry-project/). I walked by the door without even knowing it was the spot - it tends to be that way with speakeasies. When we got to the bouncer, he asked if we "knew anyone inside" to which I said "no". Not sure what the point was since it wasn't crowded inside, maybe a reason to refuse entry if they think you're not dressed right? Thank goodness I had my swagger on. 

The bar has an "inspiration" board inside where there are different flavor profiles (cucumber, jalapeno, mango, lemon, orange, etc.). If you want to put yourself in the hands of the bartender, you pick a spirit and a flavor and you get a surprise! Make sure to be clear if there is anything you don't like so there are no bad surprises! I ended up with a yummy drink that was inspired by mango and vodka - it had hints of orange and was really well balanced.

On the cab ride back home, I saw some cool street art by Hansky (http://hanksy.com/). I saw a play on Iron Man and Aziz Ansari - loved it! New York doesn't disappoint, especially when you have an iPhone handy to capture the moment. 

Cheers,

Liz

Nice Fedora!

Fantastic Food and Drinks!

A shrewd businesswoman I know, Allison, raved about this spot (http://fedoranyc.com/) and I wanted to check it out for dinner with Amber. While we waited for a table to open up, we ordered a drink at the bar. I ordered the Songbird. It is made with sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur, creme de violette, fresh grapefruit, and topped with house-made lavender bitters. 

The drink was really fresh and a nice change from liquor-based cocktails. I am never one to turn down bubbly! We stuck around for dinner and the food was PHENOMENAL! This spot is small (read: cozy) but I would recommend it if you want a delicious dinner with French flair. 

Au Revoir, 

Liz

A Trip to the Orient

Cocktail & Tea Time!

I wanted to surprise Amber with something special so I made reservations for afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (http://www.mandarinoriental.com/newyork/). The tea is daily at starts at 2:30pm. We got there a bit early (2:00pm) to make sure we could secure a window seat. Most of the seating has a good view, but when you're spending $$$ you want to make sure it is the best!

While we waited for tea time to start, we (naturally) ordered a cocktail. One immediately caught my eye: the Summer Solstice. It is a heavenly mix of vodka, blood orange juice, mango puree and Solerno liqueur (blood orange). This cocktail was magical and at $19 (!!) I was hoping it would be. I knew at a place like this you're paying for the view and it was worth it. 

Once we finished our cocktails, we moved on to tea! I ordered the Thunderbolt Darjeeling tea. It was a delicious black tea. Check out the scones, finger sandwiches and desserts! Nom! I highly recommend this spot for a special event - a mom in town, good friend or to impress a lady!

Until next time!
Liz

Too Hot Out...Starting to Feel like a Zombie!

Maison Premiere is a Premier Spot! 

I wanted to show Amber a bar that has a totally different character than many bars I've been to in the city. My good friend Lisa introduced me to Maison Premiere (http://maisonpremiere.com/) nearly a year ago and I've been a fan ever since! We ordered a zombie cocktail. It was delicious and strong!!! The crushed ice helps dilute the cocktail - it is definitely a sipper. I've gotten absinthe cocktails there before but I'm not a huge fan of absinthe. I think I mainly ordered it because the presentation is beautiful. I'll continue to stick to the zombie. 

As a side note, the oyster happy hour is phenomenal (M-F, 4-7pm)! Unlike many spots, all oysters are available for the special. You can get a wide selection for a great value. Be warned though, you want to get there early!!! Seating fills up quickly. Additionally, there is a beautiful garden in the back with more seating. 

Your favorite zombie lover,

Liz

Checking in at the Wythe Hotel & The Ides Bar

Great View with Cocktails to Match

I'm a big fan of Williamsburg. I figured a great way to kick off my friend's first visit was with an introduction to the Wythe Hotel (http://wythehotel.com/) and its rooftop, The Ides Bar. I had been meaning to go but hadn't visited it yet - what better day than the Fourth of July? 

The rooftop didn't open until 2pm, so we ordered a cocktail at the main level bar. I got a Tom Collins. It was quite tasty! I've been on a gin kick lately. The cocktail is made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda. The weather was super hot so this was the ideal way to cool down. 

The Ides Bar has a fantastic view of the city. I was shocked by how pretentious it seemed downstairs. There is a whole process of waiting in a roped line and having a hostess check IDs and then usher up groups up people to the elevator. It seemed a bit too Manhattan for the neighborhood. I can imagine it is a popular spot, but maybe it is getting too popular for its own good.

Once upstairs, I ordered a traditional daiquiri - not your frozen type. The basic recipe (that every bartender should master!) is rum, fresh squeezed citrus (typically lime) and sugar (natural is best). The drink wasn't as good as the one I loved at my work bar, but then again, the rum used was Zacapa - which is amazing!

I also got a glass of rose, but that is not exciting, so no picture!

Cheers!

Liz

Checked out another selection at the Library!

The NoMad Library Delivers Again!

My friend Amber had her first visit to NYC this past holiday weekend. I wanted to give her a proper tour of the city: a cocktail tour! I introduced her to some of my favorites and we found some new spots together. Her first night here, we went to The NoMad Library (http://www.thenomadhotel.com/). I went to this spot several weeks ago for the first time and was really impressed. Also, I love that it is only a couple of blocks away from my apartment!

I ordered the Petticoat. It is a delicious blend of Sichuan peppercorn-infused gin, apricot liqueur, velvet falernum and lemon. The cocktail had a very clean profile and a nice lingering taste. I was worried it may have been too spicy but the peppercorn adds depth and balance to the drink. Yum!

Onto the next post!

Liz