CityStyle.com

The Rise of the Boozy Cupcake

Editor — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:45 +0000

You’re thirsty. You want drinks.

She wants cupcakes.

It’s a classic dilemma. Time for a red-hot solution: meet RED VELVET LOUNGE, opening next week for yes, cocktails and booze-infused cupcakes.

The first thing you should know about RVL is that it’s owned by Jason Lawrence and Cole Bernard, the crew behind high-end cocktail den The Eldridge. Which means, along with Baroque-inspired interiors, you can expect a stellar cocktail list created by award-wining mixologist Charlotte Voisey (Rose Bar) to go along with mini-sized boozy cupcakes from Soho-based Baked by Melissa.

Start things off with a quartet of Jameson-infused espresso cupcakes paired with a Jameson-espresso martini. For those craving sugary drinks to go with sugary desserts, we hear the rum-soaked vanilla cupcakes coupled with rum, fresh-pressed ginger, and fresh lemon juice are the way to go.

Then again, everything is sugarcoated at RVL…

Red Velvet Lounge opens next week.

Red Velvet Lounge
174 Rivington Street (between Attorney & Clinton Streets), Lower East Side
(212) 673-5020

First Look at The Ainsworth

Editor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:16:21 +0000

So it’s Tuesday in September.

You’re relaxed and ready for work.

But mostly, you’re ready for some post-work, you know, get-togethering. We know a place that’s perfect for you: meet The Ainsworth.

Perhaps you’ve heard a little about the city’s newest gastrolounge/ultra sports bar. That it sprawls over 6,000 square feet and boasts 40 flat-screens and yet somehow manages to feel perfectly balanced in its rustic chicness. You can credit the bar/restaurant’s good looks (and great sound system) to the same crew behind Dune in Southampton.

As for the food, culinary kudos go to Chef Dave Feimster and his American Fusion menu. For starters, there’s Wild Mushroom Pizza, Truffle Potato Wedges, Pineapple Ribs, and Lobster Po’ Boy Sliders (check out the menus). And when you get thirsty from all that gastro-goodness, you can count on stiff drinks like the refreshing signature cocktail, The Ainsworth, made with vanilla vodka, St. Germain Elderflower, chamomile tea, and fresh lime juice.

Now, back to work…

The Ainsworth is now in soft-open and opens to the public next Thursday (9/17). Check out more pics with our special slideshow.

The Ainsworth
122 West 26th Street (between Sixth & Seventh Avenues), Chelsea
Tel: (212) 741-0646
ainsworthnyc.com

Lucky Strikes In Williamsburg

Editor — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:00:30 +0000

Summer is really here.

And with it comes the nostalgic need for simpler pleasures, like bowling, movies, and comfort food by Blue Ribbon.

Thankfully, there’s a new destination for all your needs: say hello to Brooklyn Bowl, rolling out to the public today. Taking over a former iron foundry in Williamsburg, the much-buzzed about BB will be massive (as in 23,000-square-feet), eco-friendly (beer will only be served on tap; no bottles or cans), and ridiculously cool (state-of-the-art audio and video systems, a 35ft-wide stage for live performances, and yes, a full comfort food menu designed by the Blue Ribbon chefs).

Of course, there will also be bowling. 16 shiny, new lanes will be anchored by hi-def screens and lounge-worthy Chesterfield couches to relax in. While you’ve got your sights on your lane, keep your ears peeled - the venue is staged as much for music as it is for pins. Veteran producers from The Knitting Factory and The Wetlands have fine-tuned the acoustics to a perfect 300.

As for your game, well, that’s up to you.

Brooklyn Bowl opens tonight at 6 pm with a small snack menu. On July 21st, an expanded “preview” menu will be available, with the full menu by Blue Ribbon debuting on August 4th. See more pics of Brooklyn Bowl here.

Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Avenue (between N. 11th & N. 12th Streets), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Tel: (718) 963-3369
brooklynbowl.com

First Night at Warren 77

Editor — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:00:49 +0000

They made dive bars hotter than bottle service boîtes.

And for their next act, the Smith & Mills (and temporarily shuttered Beatrice Inn) crew, are reinventing another tired bar scene…

Meet Warren 77, their new Tribeca venture, and perhaps the city’s first hipster sports bar. Nightlife kings Chris Miller and Matt Abramacyk have teamed up with Ranger Sean Avery – king of the ice and of the New York party scene, to open the most artfully curated sports-themed bar we’ve ever seen (Miller’s family runs the Robert Miller Gallery). A Warhol print of Wayne Gretzky and a Diane Arbus boxing pic share space on the walls with frayed action sports snaps and iconic New York sports moments (courtesy of Madison Square Garden in-house shutterbug George Kalinsky).

The trio’s “fantasy” sports bar is an old-school cross between Peter Luger – with dark wood walls and an imposing oak bar – and the basement rec-room from an ’80s teen flick, furnished by a set designer with very good taste. Think weathered grandpa chairs and Howard Cosell-era CBS klieg lights salvaged from the network’s old Chicago studio.

Of course, you’ll also find requisite flat-panels, hidden behind shutters along one wall and chalkboards above the bar (they only come out when there’s a game worth watching).

And if you don’t blow all your meal money on a Galaga marathon there’s solid pub grub (oysters, wings, a steak with fries) to go with your bourbon and beer.

Let the games begin.

Warren 77 is open to the public. Get a closer look here.

Warren 77
77 Warren Street (between West Broadway & Greenwich Street)
Tel: (212) 227-8994

Editor’s Note: RARE returns next Tuesday. Enjoy the long weekend…

Open-Air Lounging on the Hudson River

Editor — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:00:40 +0000

A gorgeous rooftop lounge is a work of art.

And it really isn’t complete without sweeping Hudson River views.

That’s why we think you’ll want to meet the new Hudson Terrace, now soft-open for brunch, in Midtown. Begin your journey by cabbing up to 621 West 46th Street. In its previous life, the now tricked-out space was home to a turn-of-the century horse stable. Something to ponder when you enter the lobby elevators that will whisk you directly up to the Rooftop Garden Lounge, the main attraction at HT.

There you’ll be greeted with mahogany flooring, a surround-sound music system, and of course, stunning views of the Hudson. To help pass the time, the good people at the ‘Terrace are rolling out bottle service to go with a special $35 all-you-can eat brunch on Sundays. Menu highlights include perfect french toast, fluffy made-to-order omelettes, sourdough toast, chicken apple sausage, and maplewood bacon.

Bring an appetite. And some sunglasses.

We hear it’s going to be a scorcher this weekend.

Hudson Terrace is soft-open for Sunday Brunch from 2 p.m to 8 p.m. The official opening is set for May 5th.

Hudson Terrace
621 West 46th Street (between Eleventh & Twelfth Avenues)
Tel: (212) 315-9400
hudsonterracenyc.com

First Look at The Clerkenwell

Editor — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:00:57 +0000

Ah, the gastropub.

You’ve seen British, French, and even American flavors of the trendy bar/restaurant hybrid.

Time to meet the newest one in town… introducing The Clerkenwell, the most authentic British-style gastropub to open this side of the pond since the Spotted Pig first introduced New York boozehounds to the concept.

Named for the neighborhood in central London where the first-ever gastropub opened way back in 1991, the new Lower East Side “local” has the lived-in appeal of a real, former dive (even though it was a restaurant not a bar –AKA followed by the short-lived Summers – in its past life). The artfully refurbished junk shop décor includes a mismatched jumble of butcher-block tables, gilded mirrors, and wood and leather banquettes.

The menu – complemented by a fine roster of lagers and ales — is a bit more focused, zeroing in on well-priced pedigreed British pub grub, think Smoked Haddock, Fish N’ Chips, and Bubble and Squeak.

And if you prefer your weekend brunches to veer towards a full English breakfast, well, they’ve got that too.

Have it with a house made Bloody Mary, and you’ve got a meal of sublime simplicity.

The Clerkenwell is now open to the public.

The Clerkenwell
49 Clinton Street, (off Stanton Street)
Tel: (212) 614-3234
clerkenwellny.com

Where To Go When The Market Drops (Again)

Editor — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:00:37 +0000

Stocks down 200 points. Market moves into the red.

It’s been another rough quarter for Wall Street.

Thankfully, the Financial District’s finest bars are rolling out their own version of a stimulus package: introducing Drink Derivatives. The concept is simple enough: when the market goes down, drink prices go down. And when the market goes way down, drinks can even be… free!

Here’s how to make the most of the Dow’s downside:

Tucked away on the second floor of the Liberty Tower building is where you’ll find the charming English pub Pound & Pence. And when the market drops 200 points lower than the previous day’s close, it’s also where you’ll find free beer and booze from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Cheers.

Pound & Pence, 55 Liberty Street (off Nassau Street), 2nd Floor, (212) 716-1140, poundandpence.com

No need to see red when the Dow’s in it. Take that edge off at Trinity Place, the swanky Cedar Street bar that was once a secret meeting room for executives. To help you weather the financial storm, Trinity’s rolling out $3 beer and well drink specials when the market ends down. From 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Trinity Place, 115 Broadway (entrance on Cedar Street), (212) 964-0939, trinityplacenyc.com

Tuesday night is the right night for Stone Street Tavern’s oyster special. A mere $13.95 scores you an ice cold Guinness and a half dozen oysters on the half shell. And you don’t even have to watch your portfolio dip to take advantage.

Stone Street Tavern, 52 Stone Street (near Mill Lane), (212) 785-5658, stonestreettavernnyc.com

Good times are never far when you start your post-week revelry at Jeremy’s Ale House. FiDi’s finest dive bar features $4 buckets of Coors & Coors Light, $1.50 Burgers, and 1/2 off all well drinks from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Plus, they have perfect Fried Clams on their side.

Jeremy’s Ale House, 228 Front Street (between Beekman Street & Peck Slip), (212) 964-3537, jeremysalehouse.com

Manhattan’s Finest Happy Hour Deals

Editor — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:00:31 +0000

Happy Hour in the City isn’t what it used to be. It’s better! So in the spirit of the day, we present the City’s choicest cocktail hours. Dive in.

If it’s Tuesday (and it is), it’s time to grab your drinks at Allen & Delancey where happy hour means ½ off all signature cocktails (now $6) throughout the night. If you’ve already visited the Michelin-starred restaurant, you know that it makes a great date spot. And you probably know that the cocktail menu was crafted by mixologist Alex Day of Death + Company.

Allen & Delancey, 115 Allen Street (near Delancey Street), (212) 253-5400, allenanddelancey.net

Top-shelf booze does its best work at Elettaria’s Violet Hour. Arrive between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and indulge in half-off drinks like the Zombie Punch, a rum trifecta of Appleton’s VX, Brugal Gold and 151 El Dorado Demerara, topped with fresh lime juice, Velvet Falernum, and Absinthe.

Elettaria, 33 West 8th Street (near Macdougal Street), (212) 677-3833, elettarianyc.com

Of course, if three hours of cocktail-ing is more your thing, then consider Chinatown Brasserie. Step in to the noted dim sum den and pair a Bellini Martini ($5) with perfect Pot Stickers ($4), and you’re set.

Chinatown Brasserie, 380 Lafayette Street (near Great Jones Street), (212) 533-7000, chinatownbrasserie.com

Down at Verlaine, a five spot can get you more - a lot more. Every day until 10 p.m., soak up $5 Hanoi Lychee Martinis, Vietnamese Bloody Marys, Sangrias, house wines, and basic cocktails.

Verlaine, 110 Rivington Street (near Essex Street), (212) 614-2494, verlainenyc.com

Before you drink in the pleasures of the weekend, drop in to Double Crown where brunch means bottomless Bloody Marys. And on Sundays, hang around into the p.m. hours and you’ll be rewarded with a British Roast.

Double Crown, 316 Bowery (at Bleecker Street), (212) 254-0350, doublecrown-nyc.com

Inside Nolita’s Newest Cocktail Den

Editor — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:00:14 +0000

There is a story behind every great wine bar.

And sometimes, if you dig deep enough, you may even find a recipe for a new cocktail den…

Introducing Veloce Club, the new luscious libations lounge from the Bar Veloce crew. The third outpost from the Italian wine bar aficionados reemerged last week, after a physical makeover. While its siblings are, by design, drive-bys (the name literally translates as “fast bar”), the new Club incarnation (open to all who part the dark curtains in front) is intended for lingering long into the night.

And so it is that the polished wood bar that once ran the length of the room has been surgically cut down by half. Where bar stools once stood you’ll now find clubby black leather booths, custom built by a father-son team in the Bronx, topping out at the optimal height for reaching around to pull your date in close. Think of it is as an old school London men’s club with an Italian sensibility.

To encourage sticking around you’ll find Billie Holiday crooning on vinyl, Antonioni’s L’Avventura in muted black and white on the flat-screen, and a short list of classic Harry’s Bar cocktails (an exceptional Negroni among them) – not to mention half bottles of Pol Roger bubbly and an edited selection of only the most decadent nibbles from the Bar Veloce roster (including the gooey truffled five-cheese “bianco” panino).

Italian cocktails and British atmosphere - what more could you ask for?

Veloce Club is open nightly from 5 p.m to 3 a.m.

Veloce Club
17 Cleveland Place (off Kenmare Street)
(212) 966-7334
barveloce.com

Akvavit-Fueled Nights On The LES

Editor — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:02:06 +0000

Lately, you’ve been feeling like your nightlife could use a little Scandinavian flair…

Swedish to be exact.

You ask, we deliver. Welcome to Annika Sundvik’s (Good World Bar) White Slab Palace. The airy décor and streamlined design that won us over at Good World are alive and well here. Industrial details like denim-covered stools and garage-like windows cut against rustic raw wood and even a splash of taxidermy. This time, the ambiance all hinges on the endless granite bar, bolstered by handsome mantel structures—once again proving that an appreciation for sharp design is coded in Scandinavian DNA.

Floor-to-ceiling freezers of Akvavit and a bevy of house-made infusions all signal a low-key bar scene. But, if all goes Sundvik’s way, expect to see a full menu starting March 10th featuring Spicy Lamb Pelmeni, an appearance by the Good World Burger, and an extensive raw bar serving shellfish platters peppered with Norwegian shrimp and yellowtail sashimi. We’re also hearing hopeful rumblings of homemade meatballs to go—which alone should have you relishing…

…How Swede it is.

White Slab Palace opens tomorrow, and is serving small snacks until their full menu debuts March 10th.

White Slab Palace
77 Delancey Street (at Allen Street)
Tel: (212) 334-0913
whiteslabpalace.com