New Yorkers, like Londoners, have a bit of a boozy reputation – we think of them (or at least I do) as impeccably dressed and manicured, clinking their expertly made dirty martinis long into the night with no concerns what so ever about work the following day. Frank Sinatra did, after all, want to wake up in a city that never sleeps! We think of Sex & The City, Mad Men – were they ever not holding a cocktail? And reading entertaining pieces from NYC Bloggers such as Jess Misener’s piece ‘New York I love You but You Murdered My Liver ‘ only quantifies this! Jess said:
New York, boozing is also just What You Do. Everyone is simultaneously competitive and insecure and needs to blow off steam. No one wants to sit alone in their tiny apartments, no matter how much drinks cost at the bar. After working a brutal 12-hour day, I needed a salve, not a smoothie”. And so, you drink. You drink and talk…
However, like any interesting place – perceptions can be deceptive! I’ve done both boozy party trips to NYC and even an entirely alcohol free trip – and, if I’m honest, I love the city from both angles! I visited this time last year and it was unspeakably cold – despite wearing the double coats in the picture below, I was still freezing! But, such a fun few days. There’s way too much to review in one post – so I’ll be adding to this but here’s some highlights of some of the classic drinks to experience!
Where to Drink like a New Yorker:
Cocktails
The Manhattan, ok, so this is where the cocktail trail has to start – ‘when in Rome’ so to speak. Apparently this whiskey cocktail was first created at the Manhattan Club in 1870.
Death & Company creates a mean one – well, with a name like this, who are we to argue!? This place has cemented itself as an East Village institution. The vast but beautifully
designed space is a sumptuous sight to behold – dark wood, marble and a cocktail line-up certainly to the bar’s esteemed reputation. Despite the extensive cocktail menu changing every few months, the bartender’s choice Manhattan is always in season. The perfectly melded, expertly executed drink is served up in a sleek champagne coupe and, if you’re lucky, the bartender might just slip you a sidecar (‘leftovers’ to us normal folk) but packaged in a small carafe and nestled snugly in a separate glass filled with spherical ice. Iwouldn’t turn this down – the drinks here aren’t cheap and it’s part of the experience!
GO!!!!! https://www.deathandcompany.com
The Martini.
I don’t feel like you can say you’ve had a proper trip to New York unless you sat wedged at a bar wearing something glamorous and ordered a Martini – dirty in my case! One of the best I tried in was Angel’s Share on Stuyvesant St. This place feels like a memory you’re not sure happened! It’s strange… a kind of speak-easy with Botticelli cherubs painted climbing the walls and dim lighting – makes you feel as though you’re sitting in an Edward Hopper painting kinda place! It’s been around for 25 years or so but doesn’t have a martini on the menu, ironically. Strangely enough though, it you ask the bartender to make one – a perfectly chilled, delicious martini appears – magic or weird? You decide!
The Dead Rabbit- what is it about death and great cocktails in NYC?
Anyway, you can’t go to NYC for a cocktail and not go here – it is basically sacrosanct of the cocktail scene and not just in NYC but in the drinks trade globally. Let’s stick with the whole ‘dead’ theme shall we? Order the Psycho Killer – a wild mix of Irish Whiskey, Campari, cacao and absinthe. Finish off with The Vanishing Act – locally known as the Irish Goodbye which is what you’ll need to do after you’ve had this line-up! P.S. Remember to go upstairs – don’t make the mistake of staying in the packed pub downstairs and wondering what all the fuss is about! https://thedeadrabbit.com
How to make a Vodka Martini like a New Yorker!
To make a Vodka Martini, use six parts vodka to one part dry vermouth. Bartenders prefer to stir a Vodka Martini over ice to mix it. However there’s plenty of debate around the preparation method. Bond’s ‘shaken’ method – putting your vodka and vermouth in a shaker with ice and shaking to mix – results in a more diluted drink, as the shards of ice melt into water. However there’s a theatre to shaking and it certainly makes more of a statement, either at home or in a crowded bar!Whichever method you choose, your Vodka Martini should then be strained into a chilled Martini glass. Put your glass in the freezer for at least half an hour before you plan to serve your drink. Finally, garnish with a lemon twist or an olive and thank me later!!
Other Articles
Roaming the Rhône
