NEW YORK CITY

Back to my beloved New York City for double duty this month: we’ll imbibe as we travel! Sounds perfect to me. NYC has too many incredible, atmospheric drinking establishments to list… here are merely two.

Angel’s Share:
8 Stuyvesant Street, 2nd fl. (between 9th St & 3rd Ave)
Manhattan, NY, 10003
212.777.5415

It’s easy to miss this tiny East Village gem, tucked upstairs through a nondescript Japanese restaurant. I remember when my best friend first took me here, over 7 years ago, and it has been a favorite NY bar ever since. Though New Yorkers now know about this classic spot, it still retains the feel of an undiscovered secret, as the lack of a sign (or a website, for that matter), keep the air about it speakeasy-like. As at my favorite SF speakeasy, Bourbon and Branch, there are pleasing rules like” no standing” and “no loud talking” (maybe less pleasing is the rule that you can only bring parties of four or less, though this is understandable due to the small size). Such “rules” preserve this as a bar for adults… adults who enjoy expertly mixed cocktails. This is a mixologists’ bar; for those who appreciate the art of the cocktail. Sitting in a posh window seat, surrounded by pillows, lost in stimulating conversation with good friends, Angel’s Share has been an ideal backdrop for some favorite NY moments.

Brandy Library, Tribeca – Ah, Brandy Library… TriBeCa’s classy ode to hard liquor specializes in, naturally, Brandy, but also Cognac, Whiskey and Rum. The cocktail list (at $13 each) is impressive and categorized by alcohol type. Wood-paneled shelves are strategically lit to present bottles in their most appealing light. The service, mostly from older men in tuxedos, is not what you would think (what I’ve experienced in upscale bars in Midtown). It’s not stuffy or snobbish, rather, generous and attentive: my friend and I were treated with tastes of a French Cognac in its various stages of age – a 10, 20 and even 40 year aged – before choosing one to drink. Prices are steep but not unreasonable. With one glass, you can savor hours of conversation in a peaceful, elegant room while jazz drifts gently in the background. As a drinking establishment for adults (i.e. not hipsters), they won’t permit overcrowding, so make reservations for best chances at securing a comfy leather chair. They serve bites and cocktails, offer incredible Spirits classes, and have live jazz Sunday and Monday nights.

NEW YORK CITY

THE SPOTTED PIG

Neighborhood: Manhattan/West Village
314 W 11th Street
(between Greenwich St & Hudson St)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 620-0393
www.thespottedpig.com

I visited The Spotted Pig back in the Spring, before their chef, April Bloomfield, was given a coveted Best New Chef award in the July issue of “Food and Wine” magazine.  The hype around this West Village “British Gastropub” has become somewhat cacophonous.  I don’t wish to add to the overstated buzz regarding this surprise hit whose dishes often feature animal innards not always so popular in the States, but I couldn’t resist sharing my take after a recent visit.

The commonly known facts: waits are long, celebrities frequent and no reservations taken.  I came early (not long after a 5:30pm opening) and secured a perfect table immediately (though the place was pretty much full already) upstairs in a cozy, corner alcove.  Charming, playful, the interior is like an edgy collector’s cottage, with funky paintings and sculptures of pigs in varying states of glory.

The clientele and staff are certainly “hipster”, with all that word implies, though minus excess attitude.  What surprises me, given the type of food, is how Spotted Pig came to be such a favorite with rock stars, artists and all-around fashionable people?  All I know is, I felt right at home in this odd little place.

The hype grows with its three years running Michelin rating, making my expectations of the food high.  It was all of great quality, but not every combination hit the right note.  Most dishes at least intrigued me, but in the end, I came away that night feeling slightly ill every time I remembered the layer of lard-like fat atop the Pork Rillette (similar to a pate), a dish not as complex as I’d hoped. It almost tasted to me like a dry tuna.  Pan Fried Calf’s Liver with Pancetta ($16) was better, but still, more interesting than amazing.  A Prosciutto & Ricotta Tart ($16), on the other hand, was amazing – how could you go wrong with that?  Their  “Bar Snacks” actually ended up being some of the best items on the menu, like Chicken Liver Toast ($5.50), or my favorite, the Devils on Horseback ($7), prunes wrapped in bacon, dipped in honey – morsels of savory, sweet goodness.

I’ve noticed that even since my recent visit, the menu looks more palatable than ever, making good on their website claim to be “British and Italian influenced food”.  There is much I’d love to try still, such as the popular Sheep’s Ricotta Gnudi in Brown Butter and Sage ($15) or Day Boat Scallops with Corn Pudding & Basil ($32).

With the wealth of excellent food in NYC, I would hardly recommend this as a first stop, though drinks and Bar Snacks would start an evening in the West Village out nicely.  For those wanting to try something new, it is certainly an ambitious, though imperfect, enterprise fitting a unique niche in the city’s dining scene.