Cocktail Snob - quality matters!

On the second floor of an unassuming building on the border of SoHo and Greenwich Village, is Audrey Saunder's modern resurrection of the famous 19th century Pegu Club. The original Pegu Club was in the (then) British territory of Burma, in the city formerly known as Rangoon. A blurb on the front page of the new Pegu Club's menu tells us that the intention of opening New York's Pegu Club "was not to replicate the club's actual physical structure. Rather we're resurrected it in spirit, in order to preserve a part of cocktail culture from days gone by".

Cocktail Snobs everywhere may now rejoice.

We all know that the bar's namesake beverage, The Pegu Club Cocktail, is a staple for all fans of old-skool libations, and so of course it is a cornerstone of the new Pegu Club's menu. If you want to make this one at home, the ingredients are Gin, Angostura Bitters, Orange Bitters, fresh lime, and Orange Curacao. The exact recipe can be found everywhere from the classic (and still in print) Savoy Cocktail Book, to Ted Haigh's great Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails. But somehow, drinking a Pegu Club in a bar named for the memory of the original bar that spawned the drink makes it taste a notch better. The bartenders carve little Nazca lines into the limes.
“Crisp and snappy and fairly potent, just the way we like ‘em”.

We also sampled the Jamaican Firefly, a variation on the Dark and Stormy, with home made ginger beer, dark rum, lemon, and fresh lime (with a lime wheel and a sort of jelly cookie thing for a garnish). Our bartender pointed out that the drink uses larger ice cubes (in the glass) that will melt slowly so as not to dilute the drink, whereas the Pegu Club Cocktail uses crushed ice (in the shaker) which is designed to have the opposite effect: the quickly melting ice in the shaker chills and slightly dilutes the potion before it is strained into a champagne glass. See, this is the sort of attention to detail that separates that masters from the hacks!

The Firefly is a nice enough drink, but we really liked their Tantis Side Car, (Congac, Calvados, Cointreau, lemon, pineapple, Green Chartreuse). This is a lot of stuff to successfully combine into one glass, and it uses twice as many ingredients as the elegant classic sidecar (equal parts Brandy, Cointreau, and lemon juice), but this more complex version definitely works.

Visitors to my home bar, Aku Hall, know that the house drink is my mutation of the traditional South American Pisco Sour, which I cal an Aku Hall Sour (rule #4: change the ingredients, change the name). So I had to try Pegu Club's Pineapple Pisco Sour: pineapple soaked Pisco, lemon juice, egg white, bitters, and simple syrup. Their Pisco is infused with a whole pineapple per bottle. Nice stuff.

We also went off-menu and sampled a favorite classic: Last Word, which is is equal parts Rye, Green Chartreuse, Marachino Liqueur, and lemon juice, shaken with crushed ice. Served in a champagne glass with no garnish at all. It works!

We were hitting it off with the bartender on a slowish night, so we continued taking suggestions from him. Although the menu looked to be full of delicious concoctions, we stayed off-menu for a bit and tried a Rangoon (Gin, fruit juice, sweet vermouth, ginger beer, mint and cucumber). Very refreshing. You can suck that bad boy down in about two sips on a hot summer day if you don’t watch it, but do sip it: this one needs to be savored.

Gal Friday Night went with a Fruit Cup next (ingredients unavailable), which she had one word for: 'amazing'.

The sixteen drinks on the menu are each $12. About half of the selections change seasonally. There are also a handful of champagne drinks at $16, a small selections of wine at $9 to $13 per glass, and a half dozen beers at $6 to $9.

Pegu Club also has a menu of ten appetizers created by Gavin Citron ranging from $7 to $16 in price. We enjoyed the Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs ($7), which are eggs with a little piece of trout, and toasted almond chutney on top.
Sloppy Duck is $14, and comes with two little buns, sorta like two little white castles, but we won't say that. The management would probably rather that we reiterate what is printed in the menu: "Free-range duck is slowly braised and then blended with a tropical fruit based barbecue sauce. Served on Toasted mini potato buns". $14.
The Truffle Steamed Mushroom Dumplings are $8 for four, and are made of baby portobellos roasted with fresh herbs, in a truffle broth. Boy do they do down quick!

The vibe:
A polite if standoffish doorman will check your identification and point you towards a staircase. The spacious room that you'll find at the top is rather chic, with very low lighting, hardwood floors, a bar of somewhat lighter hewed wood, a return to the darker wood for the Chinese-inspired latticework over the windows.

A hint of green light behind these Chinese window motifs is the only thing here that isn’t woody brown. It all looks like chocolate and peanut butter, and is all vaguely Asian in style. There's an original copy of Trader Vic's Bartenders Guide behind the bar. Comfortable seating surrounds low tables towards the door; the bar is towards the back, and through a narrow passageway there is another smaller room. The vibe feels comfortable, maybe romantic, and definitely relaxing. On all three of our visits, Pegu Club was relatively uncrowded and there was never a line to get in. That said, we have not visited on a weekend.

Pegu Club Flat Iron Milk and Honey more

Milk and Honey
134 Eldridge St., New York, New York; (xxx) xxx-xxxx (718) 308-6775
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October, 2007
v1.0

Milk and Honey opened up in the meatpacking area of Manhattan's East Village during January of 2000.
They've got kind of a gimmicky speakeasy thing going on (this has since become trendy elsewhere. Stop it.). In order to get into Milk and Honey, you need to obtain a secret phone number. And, the number really is secret. You have to know somebody who knows somebody, or you can't get in. Complicating matters, the number changes from time to time. Once you've got the digits, you have to text message (yeah, so much for the 1920s Speakeasy thing) the number of people in your party and your time of arrival. They'll get back to you with a 'yea' or 'nay', depending on whether or not there is room for you. Then you have to find a completely unmarked door by a Chinese laundry storefront on seedy Elridge Street, ring the buzzer, and wait to be admitted. They will (seriously) not let you in if you just show up, even if there is room.

The whole thing is sort of Prohibition-style and more annoying than endearing: has no one told these people that drinking has been legal for three-quarters of a century now? No need to make it so hard! We can guess that the point is crowd control, since Milk and Honey is a very small place, or maybe it is hype, since the best way to make people want to come to your bar is to tell them you can't, or maybe it is just an effort to keep the vibe mellow and adult. But frankly, there are other places to get a cocktail without jumping through all of the hoops.

Once there, you'll find a small handful of booths, and less than a dozen seats at the bar. The place may seat two dozen, tops.
There is also a set of rules posted on the bathroom wall, which makes the very similar code of conduct that has greeted visitors to Chicago's vintage 1966 Hala Kahiki seem positively sloppy. Milk and Honey's first rule is "no name dropping, no star fucking". Both bars will also make gentlemen lose their chapeau. As it should be. Keeping with the speakeasy vibe, the atmosphere is fairly austere on the whole, but the candle lighting, quiet jazz music, and elegant wait staff will elevate things a few notches by example.

The staff are friendly - some sincerely, and some because it's their job - and will serve you a drink based on what kind of mood you're in. There is no menu, but the mixologists on duty are truly among the best anywhere, and with an encyclopedic knowledge of their craft, they'll attempt to get you where you need to be. They will usually succeed. Last time I saw this trick performed so well was at the sadly lamented Bryant's in Milwaukee (v.1.0 1933 - 2007, reopened late in 2008...); those cats claimed to know over 500 drinks by memory. I believed it.

Drinks at Milk and Honey are priced in the vicinity of $15. Take note that Pegu Club's drinks are just as good, cost three dollars less, and they don't make it so freaking hard to get into the place. Pegu also takes plastic: no one had credit cards in 1930, so you'll need cold hard cash to keep tippling at Milk and Honey in 2009.

The goods:

Milk and Honey is well-stocked with great Bourbons, interesting French and Italian liqueurs, and fresh ingredients made on site, like their lemon soda and candied ginger.

Our visit there was brief - we plan to rectify this as soon as possible - and included a Blackberry Caipirinha. Interesting take on Brazil's national drink.

Milk and Honey's Moscow Mule seems to be a fairly popular selection, it is spicy and of course made with fresh ginger.

The bar doesn't skimp on the mint in their Mojitos, and serves the drink with a stainless steel straw to keep things cold until hootch meets tongue.

I've never been particularly enamored with White Russians, but the one we spied going over the bar looked tasty, with the cream floating on top.

Gold Rush is more Cocktail Snob's speed, with Bourbon, honey, and lemon juice - note that this is the classic Gold Rush, not one of the many trendy modern Goldschlager-based drinks that use the same name. Of course.

Milk and Honey has Hala Kahiki's rules, Bryant's encyclopedic mental bar menus, Tiki Ti's diminutive size, and the Green Mill's post-Prohibition vibe. And yet it is an original, perhaps the bar that leads the new cocktail revolution. Check it out!

Milk and Honey opened another location in Soho, London, in April of 2002.
Memberships are required to get into the London location late-nights or on weekends.
This membership also grants the older admission to another exclusive London cocktail bar, The Player, which is a home base for London's music, film, and fashion crowds.

Back in New York, Milk and Honey owner Sacha has created a new venture, Little Branch. This bar features Milk and Honey-style drinks, but is a lot easier to get into. Milk and Honey's star bartender from 2002 to 2005, Joe, is now at Little Branch. Find it at 20 Seventh Ave. South, at Leroy (this one has a phone: (212) 929-4360).

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Flatiron Lounge
37 W. 19th St (between 5th and 6th); New York, NY (212) 727-7741
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October, 2008
v2.0

The very first time I set foot in the Flatiron Lounge, I immediately noticed that Katie was tending the bar.

This was unusual, because Katie is someone I went to grade school with in the 1970s, in Cleveland. I can't say that Katie and I were especially close as children, but it was still interesting to see where she had ended up all of these years later. She had aged by several decades, naturally, but it was abundantly clear that I was about to become reacquainted with my old classmate.

As I got closer to the bar, I noticed her name tag: "Katie".
Of course.

I went over and said hello, and it was soon made clear that although this girl shared a name with the Katie I had known as a kid, and although this girl looks exactly like what I envision "my" Katie looking like at this point in time - so much so that I thought it was her before seeing the name tag - this is a different girl.

Weird.

Anyway, Flatiron Lounge was founded in 2003 by Alex and Kristina of Zinc bar, and Michelle Connolly of San Francisco's Red Room. Julie Reiner came up with the cocktail menu.

The interior is a combination of Art Deco and Spanish Modernism (think broken bits of tile), dimly lit and very cozy.

Gal Friday Night and I sampled four libations, and they were all excellent.

Unfortunately, specifics have vanished (uh, my dog ate them), but I recommend that you all go do your own research - Flatiron Lounge is a winner, a must-visit on a New York cocktail tour.

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More New York places we'd visit again...

Bemelmans Bar
The Carlyle Hotel, 35 E. 76th St., New York, New York; (212) 744-1600

October, 2007
v1.0

Ludwig Bemelmans was a children's book creator who is best known for books about Madeleine, that little French girl.

He painted a mural that covers all four walls of this smallish bar in the very swanky Carlisle Hotel, reportedly in exchange for the cost of his room. He also painted the shades for the little table lamps; I am not sure if that was in exchange for his bar tab, or what. A quiet atmosphere, really good bar snacks (I mean really, how often do you even notice it one way or the other if the little spicy crunchy things are extra good?), and murals that will bring you (girls) or your girlfriend (boys) back to childhood.

Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club designed the drinks at Bemelmans Bar, and the menu definitely shows her influence, even though she is no longer associated with the bar. Most of the cocktails are $14.50 including a Pisco Sour (lemon juice, egg white, simple syrup, Angostura bitters), Ginger Smash, Jamaican Firefly, and Gin Gin Mule. Most of these drinks have followed Audrey over to her Pegu Club.

The only reason that Bemelmans Bar doesn't get it's own official entry on this site is because I inspected the place at lunchtime, and wasn't able to try a drink. If Audrey put the menu together, then it's a sure bet that the contents are excellent; but then again with her gone who knows if quality control is being maintained. Anyway... you can get many of the same Audrey drinks for $2.50 less a pop at Pegu Club. Therefore, check this one out for the elegant vibe and cool mural, or if perhaps you just can't make it the 62 blocks south to Pegu.

In the lobby of the Carlyle there is also an Alexander Calder painting (that is a painting, not a mobile) from 1947 (Personage au Poisson), and another one from 1953 (Watery Landscape with Eye).

Across this lobby from Bemelmans is the Cafe Carlyle, where Woody Allen plays clarinet with the Eddie Davis New Orleans Jazz Band.

KGB
85 E. 4th St., 2nd fl, New York, New York; (212) 505-3360

October, 2007
v1.0
KGB really is a speakeasy, or it once was, years ago.
After Prohibition, this second-floor walk-up bar became the Ukrainian Social Club, and is now called KGB. The dark, woody environment is decorated in accents of deep red and black, with Commie propaganda posters placed where they'll do the most good. It all feels like the place where Cold War era secret agents might have gone to plan and plot. Cocktails at $10 are nothing special.

The bar seems fun, but the crowd can be questionable: I was taking a leak after a few drinks (as you do), and I was the only guy in the bathroom. I was at the urinal. This guy walks in, enters a stall, starts pissing, and then shouts “WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ANYWAYS?” at no one in particular. It wasn’t directed at me, I don’t think, but I was the only other person in there. And then this other dude walks in, takes a few paper towels, puts them neatly at the side of the sink, looks at me, and says ”those are for you”. And then walks into the stall. Then I heard the most godawful exploding bowel noise, so I hightailed it out of there.

The Bacchus Room
at Bona Fides Restaurant
60 2nd Ave. (between 3rd & 4th streets), New York, New York; (212) 777-2840

October, 2007
v1.0
There's no cover charge at this restaurant-lounge, which features classic jazz and early American pop (think Cole Porter, George Gershwin) nightly from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. There is a two-drink minimum, however. We're going to stop back in some time soon, and then we'll address the liquid question that you're so breathlessly awaiting the answer to.

Marion’s Continental Restaurant
354 Bowery (between Great Jones and E 4th St.), New York, New York; (212) 475-7621

October, 2007
v1.0
Marion's Continental Restaurant is a cozy, pricey, and swank little restaurant decorated with lots of framed pictures of the beautiful mid-century model, Marion Nagy. Nagy opened her restaurant in 1950 and ran it until 1973. Her son reopened a new version of the restaurant at the exact same address in 1990. His efforts to recreate his mother’s business as closely as possible might give Marion’s the distinction of being both vintage and retro. The food is - as the name of the place implies - continental; drinks lead towards Martinis.
There is a sort of annex next door that is a little bit more clubbish.

Recently Closed...
Two East Village favorites have called it quits in 2007:

Korova Milk Bar
Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction

October, 2007
v1.0
Korova Milk bar was a hipster spot designed to recall the identically named bar in Stanley Kubrick's genius 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.

Although the bar in the film dispensed amphetamine-laced milk from the teats of statues of nude women, the New York version stopped just short of this level of authenticity. The New York Korova bartenders mixed up what amounted to twenty or so varieties of milkshakes with booze in them.

Otherwise, the place looked more or less like the bar in the movie, and entertained the rockers and hipsters with 1970s to 2000s rock music from a jukebox.

This is the kind of place that Kubrick fans will have visited once just to check it out... unless they're also Clash fans who love ice cream.
Then they'd have been a regular.

Too late.

Although the facade and interior of the rather brilliantly named Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction felt sufficiently 1940s (check out that black-and-chrome exterior, with lots o' blue neon), the bar was a new business (opened in 2005, closed October, 2007).

Mo's had a great antique19th century backbar that had been "imported" from New Jersey.

One wall featured Al Hirschfeld-style caricatures of famous contemporary New Yorkers such as Steve Buscemi, Joey Ramone, Nick Zedd, and Phillip Glass (playing a toy piano like Schroeder in the Peanuts cartoons).

All of this was contained in the smallish front lounge of Mo's, but there were three other rooms to explore, all of which featured live jazz, blues, and comedy - maybe all at once.

Mo's was not cheap: I paid $14 for a beer and a well drink.
Nothing special in the cocktail department, but a cool place to go.
Briefly.

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Last updated on October 23, 2008

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