Friday May 14th

6:30pm

40 Broad Street (located on the second floor of The Setai)

I met the Wine Dutchess for an afternoon work session at the Hive at 55 to design her new logo—and since we were already on Broad Street we felt compelled to stop in SHO for a Friday evening cocktail. SHO is located on the second floor of The Setai, luxury condos that are a brand extension of the Miami namesake. A quick elevator ride after entering the small black and red lobby you step in to the bar and lounge area of SHO. The space is very sleek and minimal, evocative of Miami Beach style – except here the Stock Exchange is steps away rather than the beach. Just past the entrance is a walkway lined with wine bottles from floor to ceiling set behind glass, which leads to the main dining area. I had dinner in the dining room back in January and the 6 courses were mostly a hit (one or two dishes were misses, they felt a little dated like they belonged in the movie Wall Street circa 1987), but I digress. Tonight was about the cocktails and a cheese plate, which at $20 for the chef’s selection of 6 came complete with a lesson in fromages from our server. We learned that fine blue cheese is often cored and served with champagne in the center, that fruit paste is meant to cleanse your pallet between tasting the different types of cheese (as ginger does for sushi) and that cheese plate selections are presented left to right from fresh to sharp.

Tip: Monday – Friday SHO offers a 3-course prix fixe lunch for $30, a small price for a fine dining experience.

Cocktail

• French 75 in Padua – Aperol, Citadelle, Prosecco, Blood Orange

Chef’s Selection of Cheeses

• Lynnhaven Goat Cheese, Comté, Langres and two that were off the menu including a blue and and a Sheeps Milk

  

  The cheese plate was small for $20, but delicious.

  

  French 75 in Padua made with blood orange and Prosecco

  
  
  

Good for: Expense check dinners, Special Occasion, Foodies, cocktails, award winning Wine list, Fine Dining in FiDI, Prix Fixe Lunch

Saturday May 1st

5pm
757 Fulton Street (Brooklyn)

I’ve always heard the grilled corn and margaritas at Café Habana in Soho were amazing, but the small space makes for long lines and I’ve never ventured over for that reason. A friend invited me to the Habana Outpost in Brooklyn to enjoy a few afternoon margaritas on the outdoor patio– but the long lines seem to have found their way across the river. We arrived (a quick drive from downtown and accessible from the 2/3, 4/5 or C) and my friend explained there’s two lines – one for food orders and one for drinks and grilled corn. The crowd was spilled into the street waiting, and we got on line for drinks. It moved quickly – but not that quickly. They offer buckets of beer but not pitchers of drinks, which is surprising since Sangrias and Mojitos go so well in a pitcher. I’d recommend ordering two because you’re not going to want to get back in line anytime soon. When ordering food or grilled corn you’re given a ticket to take to the “truck” – a repurposed street food truck that resides on the back patio and serves as the kitchen. It’s important to take the ticket to the truck right away because the cooks are flooded with orders and they get cranky when you wait.

Note: Habana Outpost is an eco-eatery which means they’ve incorporated green practices into the construction and day-to-day operations, including solar panels and a rainwater collection system. They also have a “human bike blender” where pedaling the bike causes the blender’s blade to spin, eliminating the need for a motor. If you pedal you get a $1 discount – plus burn of some of the calories from the margaritas!

Drinks

• Frozen Margarita
• Frozen Mojito

Snack

• Mexican-style Grilled Corn – slathered with a creamy concoction (perhaps a blend of butter and mayonnaise), rolled in cojito cheese, topped with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and served with a lime wedge. It really is worth the wait!

Their famed grilled corn is worth the wait!

Frozen margarita and frozen mojito – so good they offer a drink that’s a blend of both.

Two lines form at the door – one for drinks & corn only, the other for food

Good for: Grilled Corn, Human-powered bike blender, Margaritas and Mojitos, Outdoor Seating

Friday April 30th

10:30pm
425 West Street

Continuing the nautical theme, we decided to stop by the Rusty Knot on our way back downtown for a quick drink. The bar was opened by Spotted Pig owner Ken Friedman and Freemans owner Taavo Somer in 2008, but you may not realize it when ordering a 99 cent Busch on tap or a $4 can of Bud. The cocktails are served in tiki cups with paper umbrellas, and include classsics such as a Dark & Stormy, Zombie and Spiced Colada. Happy Hour is  Monday – Friday from 4-7pm, and Tuesday night is 2 for 1 all night (a bargain if you’re drinking the $12 cocktails). The food menu recently changed with the departure of chef Joaquin Baca (Momofuku) and the addition of chef Sue Torres (Sueño) - which will include more Latin inspired items such as Tacos al Pastor and Mango Lollipops (luckily the pretzel dogs remain). Unfortunately the menu on the wall had a masking tape “X” across it, and when we inquired the bartender said the kitchen was closed for the night “due to a malfunction”. I’ll definitely be back to try the Tacos al Pastor!

NOTE: The space is small and on peak nights the line can stretch down the block.

Cocktail:

• Dark & Stormy – dark rum, ginger beer, fresh lime juice served over ice

Drink menu and price board

Dark & Stormy

The nautical theme is kitschy and fun

Portal doors to the restrooms

GOOD FOR: DIVE BAR CHIC, PLAYING POOL, TIKI COCKTAILS, TRENDY, CHEAP BEERS, HAPPY HOUR

Sunday April 4th, 2010
1:30pm
146 Beekman Street

What better way to spend a sunny Easter Sunday than dining al fresco with an English Bulldog in tow. Fresh Salt seemed like a great option – there’s dog friendly outdoor seating (only a handful of tables) and a $10 prix-fixe brunch menu that features a choice of 9 entrees with a juice or coffee included. I’ve been here for lunch and the sandwiches are great, but brunch not so much. My omelette was completely overcooked (notice the golden brown hue in the photo below), as were my friend’s over-easy eggs (the yolk was just about fully cooked). The high point of the meal was my bloody mary, nice and spicy and served in a pint glass – however my friend’s mimosa was served in a small juice glass and cost $1 more than mine. The sunshine made up for it all, but I think next time I’ll stick to the daily happy hour  - from 4pm-8pm there’s $4 drafts and well drinks and $6 martinis and margaritas. The bar is open until 4am daily – a rarity in the Seaport area.

GOOD FOR: LUNCH, HAPPY HOUR, LATE NIGHT, OUTDOOR SEATING, NEIGHBORHOOD FAVORITE

Tuesday March 23, 2010
9pm
137 Avenue C

Whenever someone mentions the Sunburnt Cow I have hazy images of  going once for the “unlimited brunch” (aka drunk brunch). But tonight the group was going for dinner to take advantage of the $18 3 course prix-fixe. The vibe is mostly a bar scene, but there are a few tables in the back of the bar and a separate back room that’s open during weekend brunch rush. It was another rainy night in the City and our group took up two of the four tables in the back. Some of the more unique winter menu items include a Kangaroo Shepard’s Pie, Shark Pesto Pasta and Wild Boar Spare Ribs. There’s also a fun specialty drink list with 5 different kinds of “moo juice” to keep with the theme. If you’re feeling adventurous, they have a $20/2 hour happy hour.

Dinner

• Appetizer – Calamari
• Entree – Lamb burger with eggplant chutney and cucumber yogurt
• Dessert – Fruit Pavlova and the table shared a Lamington (both were good, but the lamington was my favorite)

GOOD FOR: HAPPY HOUR, PRIX-FIXE, UNLIMITED BRUNCH, AUSTRALIAN CUISINE, COCKTAILS, GROUPS

Thursday March 4, 2010
9pm
432 East 13th Street

Attempting to stay in and finish up some work I was lured by a group of friends at Key Bar and hopped in a taxi to join them. Key Bar is located on an unassuming block in the East Village, tucked away between Avenue A and 1^st Avenue. The main draw is one of the best happy hour specials in the city – 2 for 1 drinks until 10pm nightly (and now until close on Sunday and Monday nights). There’s a great selection of specialty martinis and shots to choose from, along with draft and bottle beers. The space is small, so arrive early to grab a seat.

Cocktail of choice:

• Belvedere and soda

Shots: (courtesty of the owner Attila)

• Passionfruit vodka

Good for: Happy hour, groups, dancing (late night)

Halal Truck
1:30am
Water Street at Wall Street

There’s nothing better than ending happy hour with a late night trip to the street cart. The Halal truck popped up about a year ago and is open 24/7, a much needed addition to the Financial District. The prices are reasonable and the food is made to order while you wait.

Late night bite:

• Falafel sandwich with the works (lettuce, tomato, white sauce, red sauce)